It has been quite the start to life in London for Bompastor after joining the Blues in the summer. We came into the winter break sitting six points clear at the top of the Women's Super League table and with a UEFA Champions League quarter-final place secured.

The 44-year-old's first six months in charge saw her guide the Blues to 15 wins and one draw across all competitions. Her side will be looking to continue that fine form in 2025 when we will compete on four fronts, with our FA Cup and League Cup campaigns beginning in January.

And we spoke to Bompastor at Cobham to find out her ambitions for the upcoming year and what she hopes to see from her players when we return to action...

Sonia, you have previously said your team can still improve, so what does that look like? What do you hope to see from your Chelsea team after the winter break?

'I want my players to be confident in any circumstances. That’s not easy because other teams sometimes look to play differently when they play against Chelsea.

'We have to be confident and we have to be brave. I want my players to be able to try on the pitch, even if they don’t perform or always get things right – that’s fine. Nothing is going to happen and you learn from making mistakes.

'I want to create this safe environment for them. I want them to feel supported by me and the staff no matter what happens on the pitch.

'I want us all to be connected and when I talk about connection, this is maybe the most difficult thing. It’s having everyone on the same page and understanding the same thing at the same moment on the pitch.

'That comes from the training pitch but also in a game. This is maybe where we have the most room for improvement.

'I need to make sure in the second half of the season that the players really understand my expectations and really understand the game model. They need to be ready to execute what we want as individuals and as a team.'

Why do you think that is the biggest area where we can improve?

'We have a squad who comes from all over the world. They have different languages, different experiences, different styles of play and different philosophies. So, our job is to connect them.

'That can be difficult sometimes because just when you think you’re finding a rhythm, the players go away for the international break and they go back to something else.

'The first game back after an international break is always a difficult one because you need to bring everyone back together again quickly.

'It can be one of the hardest parts of football, making sure everyone is on the same page.

'The players have different profiles and work in different ways. So, for example, maybe they are really committed to the game model and then something happens in a game that makes them go back to a safe space. That’s normal. We’re all humans.

'We just need to make sure we go in the right direction and we keep looking to improve as a team. We want to play with a style which brings us success.'

We will be back together in January for a warm weather camp. How important will the time in Portugal be?

'It’s really important to go on camp especially because you spend five whole days together.

'It’s the best time for the staff to implement the ideas and again remind everyone where we want to go, of our goals and of our vision. We can give clarity on the process to make sure we’re all on the same page on and off the pitch.

'Off the pitch, these camps are the best opportunity for the staff to work on the dynamic and the cohesion of the team. That’s something really important in my eyes.

'I can’t wait and I’m looking forward to being in Portugal. The weather will be nicer than in London!

'We will be happy to be back together working in a nice environment and making sure we discuss everything we need to be successful in the second part of the season.'

Portugal is a place which means a lot to you, isn’t it?

'It is. I have family in the north of Portugal. That’s always a special country for me.

'My parents were born in Portugal. I was born in France, but still have family there. It’s a special country for me. I speak Portuguese and when I go back to Portugal I feel like a part of myself is there.'

When we come back in January we will be playing in both the League Cup and the FA Cup and will restart our WSL campaign, how much are you looking forward to that?

'If you take the schedule from the start of January to the end of the season, there are a lot of games and a lot of quick turnarounds.

'There will be the FA Cup, the League Cup, the WSL and then the Champions League in March. These are going to be the decisive moments in the season.

'We’re in a good place. We put ourselves in a good place which brings confidence. The second part of the season is about performing, getting good results and ultimately winning titles.

'But with all these games, we need to make sure we rest players and we let others recover from injury. We have a good squad in terms of quality and quantity to be in a good position to be able to perform.'

You say these are the decisive moments of the season, how much do you look forward to the periods in the season when the stakes get even higher?

'Exactly. It’s what we’re looking for. These are the opportunities to reach your goals – winning titles.

'That’s what we’re looking to do. That’s what every competitive player and every member of staff wants to be a part of. We all can’t wait to be involved in the second half of the season.'

You can watch Sonia Bompastor's Blues in action at Stamford Bridge when they take on Arsenal on 26 January. 20,000 tickets have already been sold and you can get yours here!