In terms of preparations for the coming campaign, things went pretty much perfectly for Bompastor and her Blues squad during their time visiting Australia and New Zealand this summer.

That was underlined by their performances on the pitch, recording an emphatic 7-0 victory over Auckland to open pre-season, before another impressive performance to round off the trip by beating the A-League All-Stars 3-0.

However, it was the warm welcome Chelsea received from the local supporters in both countries which drew our head coach’s attention as she reflected on the pre-season tour.

‘Off the pitch it was a great opportunity for us to connect with our fans in Sydney and before that in Auckland,’ she said.

‘Being able to come with the team, staff, players and to be around people who have such a strong culture, different from what we have in Europe, it's also really nice, and we really enjoyed that. We felt from the beginning a warm welcome from everyone.

‘It was just great to be there and to enjoy being together, to get to know each other better in a different environment.’

This tour was extra special for Bompastor, as she was able to experience it with her children, who joined the team for this trip.

That left the Frenchwoman grateful to Chelsea for another example of how the club supports its staff and fosters a family atmosphere within the team.

‘For me, I think it's crucial as a woman,’ Bompastor explained. ‘I feel really lucky to have a club that supports me on that and being able to do my job with a lot of responsibility.

‘It's a full-time job, but they have allowed me to bring my kids with me on this journey, giving them the opportunity to experience this tour, this trip.

‘The culture there is so strong and for me to be able to share that with my children, I think it's just so special and unique. I feel lucky to be able to do that.

‘I want to thank my club for giving me the opportunity to do that as well, and I want to encourage more women to be able to find the right balance between a professional job and a personal life.

‘For me, this job is so intense. There is a lot of responsibility, but with my family being next to me and being able to experience these trips and these tours, I think it gives me the right balance.

‘It gives me the opportunity to switch off sometimes and not always be 100 per cent focused on football. That means I can be the best version of myself.’