Sonia Bompastor has confirmed Aggie Beever-Jones, Niamh Charles, Keira Walsh and Catarina Macario have all been ruled out of this weekend's Women's FA Cup fifth-round tie with Crystal Palace, but did have some positive news to share on their progress.

All four players missed our 5-0 win over West Ham United at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, and while Saturday's knockout tie has come a little soon, the head coach explained Chelsea fans won't have to wait too much longer.

'Keira and Aggie won’t be available for the game this weekend,' said Bompastor. 'But both are in a good place in their rehab plan, and both are close to a return.'

The coach was also able to provide more context on the issues which have ruled Macario and Charles out since the start of 2026.

While Macario is suffering from a problem in her heel, Charles has suffered a knock-on effect from the ankle problem sustained against Aston Villa in mid-September.

'Cat had some heel pain before Christmas and she’s managing that,' continued Bompastor. 'She’s progressing in her rehab and heading in the right direction, but won’t be available for the weekend.

'Niamh is managing some ankle pain. She had an injury during the first part of the season, and the ankle has flared up. The irritation is a bit higher now, and we are managing that to make sure she can play without pain.

'We’ll assess Cat and Niamh to see if they can be involved with the team next week.'