Sam Kerr faces a race against time to feature in Chelsea's end-of-season push for four titles with the English champions reporting the injured Matildas' captain is still 'a few weeks' away from being ready.
With the Blues set to embark on a punishing schedule as they seek to add the Women's Super League, FA Cup and Champions League crowns to the League Cup they've already pocketed, manager Sonia Bompastor had frustrating news on Friday for fans desperate to see their star striker back.
Bompastor reckoned it had been a key step for the 31-year-old to join up with her Matildas teammates back in Australia during the international break after what's been a trying time off the field for Kerr, who was exonerated in a high-profile court case of causing racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.