Chelsea Women launch their WSL title defence in blockbuster fashion this Friday evening as they welcome Man City Women to Stamford Bridge. After sweeping the board last season with a historic domestic Treble, the Blues now set their sights on an even greater prize. Sonia Bompastor's second season in charge has a clear mission - guiding Chelsea toward the club's first-ever quadruple, with the elusive UEFA Women's Champions League trophy firmly in her crosshairs. Chelsea's forward line takes a hit before Friday's blockbuster at Stamford Bridge, with Colombian sharpshooter Mayra Ramírez facing a lengthy layoff after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury. Lucy Bronze is still weeks away from a return to action after playing through the European Championship with a broken leg. All eyes will be on talisman Sam Kerr, who Bompastor says will be included in her squad after missing almost two years of action with an ACL injury. Man City boss Gareth Taylor has setbacks of his own to contend with, including German centre-back Rebecca Knaak being ruled out with a meniscus tear. Bunny Shaw makes her long-awaited comeback, donning sky blue in competitive action for the first time since last March's League Cup final. Chelsea closed out their pre-season and final 2024-25 fixtures with four wins and one draw, underscoring their title-defence credentials. Under Sonia Bompastor, the Blues have now gone 17 competitive home matches unbeaten, blending attacking flair with defensive solidity as they gear up to retain their WSL crown. Manchester City have yielded mixed results of late, including defeat to Brighton and a friendly draw with Manchester United. While their attack showed promise, defensive lapses in the draws highlighted areas for improvement. Gareth Taylor's side heads into the new season seeking to tighten up at the back and rediscover the consistency that once made them genuine title contenders.