Chelsea coach Bompastor issues injury updates on USWNT pair Fishel and Macario

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor is expecting Catarina Macario back with the team soon, while Mia Fishel's return will have to wait several more months.

Both U.S. women's national team players were included on Chelsea's roster for its preseason U.S. tour, with the pair each currently recovering from knee injuries.

Neither player featured as Chelsea won both of its games on U.S. soil, defeating Gotham FC 3-1 last week and beating London rival Arsenal 1-0 on Sunday.

After recovering from a torn ACL that kept her out nearly two years, Macario was forced out of the Olympics with “minor knee irritation.” According to Bompastor, the 24-year-old isn't far away from returning.

"Cat is now rehabbing and she will be ready to come back on the field with the team for some parts of training not next week, but the next one. So we are close," Bompastor said at her post-match press conference after the win over Arsenal at Audi Field.

Fishel, meanwhile, tore her ACL in training with the USWNT back in February. If all goes according to plan, the 23-year-old forward will rejoin Chelsea after missing around one full year.

"With Mia it will take more time, and she will need to have more weeks to rehab," Bompastor said. "I hope to have her fit and ready to play, maybe with the team in January."

Chelseas will head back to London for a friendly against Feyenoord on September 7, before the WSL season starts with a clash against Aston Villa on September 20.

Bompastor is entering her first season as Chelsea head coach, with the former Lyon boss taking over for Emma Hayes after she departed to become USWNT head coach.