SAM KERR holds no grudges towards doubters who criticised her early Chelsea performances – and says they can post her a bottle of wine.
And the Blues goal machine reckons her team’s “electric” attacking form could give them the edge against Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final.
Kerr, 27, was speaking to reporters ahead of the WSL champs’ clash in Sweden with the queens of women’s football in Spain.
The game on Sunday comes a week after the striker stormed her way to the top of the WSL’s goalscoring table, bagging 21 goals in 22 top-flight games.
And Kerr’s outstanding form marks a turnaround for the forward who came in for flack for chances squandered during Chelsea’s Community Shield triumph against Manchester City last August.
When asked what she would say to doubters Kerr said: “People get paid to write headlines and all that stuff and they’ve obviously got it wrong this time.
“I don’t have anything to say. They can just send me a bottle of wine in the mail as an apology.
“The season has been long and there have been so many ups and downs.
“But winning titles just makes it all worth it. So it’s not all roses and butterflies for sure, but at the end of the day I do it because I love it.
“There are hard days but I do enjoy it for the most part.”
Chelsea, who will don their new 60s-inspired kit against Barca, are targeting a quadruple and their first-ever major club trophy win in Europe.
Kerr’s formidable partnership with team-mates Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder has played a big part in helping the Blues reach the Champions League final.
The trio netted 16 times for boss Emma Hayes in the run-up to their battle with Barcelona.
The WSL top dogs dispatched Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich, two of the most feared teams in Europe.
Kerr added: “Fran’s clearly shown she is one of the best players in the world.
“She does it week in and week out for our team. Our connection is just special.
“Everyone asks me if we train like it but it just comes naturally.
“She’s just a superstar. I can’t speak more highly of her.”
Chelsea will face a Barcelona side in red hot form having netted 128 goals in 26 games on their way to their sixth La Liga Women’s title.
And Barca are yet to triumph in the Champions League having reached the finals once in 2019, where they were thrashed 4-1 by Lyon.
Kerr reckons the Blues’ clinical finishing and ruthlessness on the counter could work in their favour.
The clash on Sunday will see Kirby and Jennifer Hermoso – the contest’s joint top scorers – go head-to-head for the contest’s Golden Boot, with both on six goals.
The Matildas captain added: “Looking at our team we’re electric going forward.
“I think on the counter-attack we’re six to the creek so I think that’s going to work in our favour against Barcelona.
“They’re a quality team so we’ll definitely have to have a look at them in-depth and we’ll focus on ourselves.
“But we also have to respect their strengths and weaknesses.”
Helping Chelsea reach their first final of a contest for Europe’s elite women’s football sides is another big milestone for Kerr, following her 2019 switch from Chicago Redstars.
The six-time Golden Boot winner still holds the all-time scoring record in America’s National Women’s Soccer League, with 77 goals, and Australia’s W-League (70).
And Kerr feels her move to Chelsea has given her the opportunity to develop her game at a club she describes as the best she has ever played for.
We’ve got players like new Niamh Charles and Melanie Leupolz who have taken the team to a new level
Sam Kerr
Kerr added: “The USA suited who I am as a player and coming here I’ve had to adapt and I think that’s mostly how I’ve grown as a player.
“It was to challenge myself doing things that I’m not as confident doing.
“As a team we’ve had so many amazing recruits in the last year and gone from strength to strength.
“We’ve got players like Niamh Charles and Melanie Leupolz who have taken the team to a new level.
“This team is incredibly talented and it’s hard to make the starting line-up.
“We’re pushing each other and I feel like this is probably the best Chelsea team I’ve ever seen. It’s definitely the best team I’ve ever been a part of.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
