How Matildas star Ellie Carpenter has taken her game to a new level after joining Chelsea from OL Lyonnes – ‘already see my game improving’

Ellie Carpenter may find herself in the unusual position of fighting for game time, but the Matildas star believes moving to Chelsea was the right decision for her career.

Eyeing glory on home soil at the Asian Cup next year, star defender Carpenter made the move to the Super League giants in July after five years at OL Lyonnes.

The 25-year-old joined the French powerhouse in 2020 and established herself as a world-class right-back, becoming the first Australian player to win a Women’s Champions League winner’s medal.

Carpenter also claimed league titles in four of her five seasons as a regular starter at Lyon.

Now on a four-year deal at Chelsea and with five games under her belt to start the season, Carpenter said she was relishing having to fight for a starting position at her new club.

‘For me, the move to Chelsea, was the best thing for my football career,’ Carpenter said.

Matildas star Ellie Carpenter believes moving to Chelsea was the right decision for her career (pictured, with Blues manager Sonia Bompastor)

Carpenter made the move to the Super League giants in July after five years at OL Lyonnes in France

‘The league is very competitive. I can already see my game improving in small parts.

‘Every game is hard and the training environment also is intense, fighting for my position on the field to start.

‘It’s a great challenge for me in my career where I’m at, and I’m really happy with how the season has started.’

Carpenter has also reunited with Blues boss Sonia Bompastor, having claimed a second Champions League trophy with Lyon under the Frenchwoman’s guidance in 2022.

‘Being under Sonia again, knowing her at Lyon too, that’s also nice,’ Carpenter said.

‘Being at Lyon for five years, it was amazing for my career. I think I developed so much as a player on the field, also off the field.

‘But I wanted to be out of my comfort zone again.’

Carpenter will be joined by her Chelsea teammate Sam Kerr, back for her long-awaited Matildas return after a knee reconstruction, as Australia face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Carpenter was elated to join Sam Kerr (left) at Chelsea, with the pair looming as key figures when the Matildas tackle Wales and England in upcoming international games

Australia will then go toe-to-toe with European champions England in Derby four days later.

With 13 capped Matildas in the Super League, Carpenter feels there should be little surprise from their opponents.

‘It’s a positive that we do play with a lot of these players, English players, Welsh players,’ Carpenter said.

‘We know their game. We train with them every day, and then we also play them on the weekend.

‘I think nearly every team in the Super League has an Aussie. It’s great that a majority of us are playing in top leagues in Europe.’