**Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor has spoken out about recent incidents that have seen top-flight players forced to perform on poor pitches.**
The controversy ignited last weekend as Chelsea faced Manchester City at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium. The pitch was torn, dry and bumpy following Derby’s Wednesday night fixture in the EFL Championship.
Just days later, Arsenal travelled to Spain to face Real Madrid in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. The fixture was hosted at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano, where the pitch emulated a mud bath amidst a period of record-high rains in Spain’s capital.
A challenge from Emily Fox nearly saw her slide all the way back to north London, and Signe Brunn’s all-white kit was completely brown before half time. As the men’s team break off for the international break, the Bernabéu sits completely empty. However, according to Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, the women will not be permitted to play at the main stadium until the side win a league title. With Barcelona as their domestic opponents, that may be a long wait.
Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor expressed her dismay toward recent events, saying: “That’s what happens when you’re a woman in life. You have to say things again and again, so we are used to that, but sometimes we are fed up. It’s our job to raise the voice again and make sure this will change in the future.”
“This is something we need to make accountable, we are in 2025 in the modern world. We should have the best pitches in the women’s game,” Bompastor added.
The 44-year-old spoke on Real Madrid more directly, expressing that she believes the club must “take responsibility” of ensuring that the women’s team are provided with adequate facilities.
“I think that’s never easy to talk about the other clubs, but when they have such a really good team in the men’s side and a good stadium, I think they should take some responsibility for having the women’s team playing the big stadium in Madrid.
“I know it’s political decisions, but it’s just about having the desire just to make those decisions. \[UEFA\] should impose to the clubs to be able to have another pitch, especially when it’s an international break for the men and the stadium, the big stadium, is available.
“I know it costs money, for sure, but like, if you want to help the women’s football, you need to make those decisions.”