Chelsea goalkeeper Livia Peng on boss’s demands to “push” | OneFootball

Chelsea’s Swiss goalkeeper Livia Peng. Credit: Chelsea

Livia Peng says Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor is “really demanding” – and that’s what’s making her time at the club so special.

The Swiss goalkeeper – who signed for the club over the summer from Werder Bremen – says Bompastor’s high standards are “how we can improve and how we can reach the next level. It’s so important to push, push, push, and I think her whole staff is great in that way.”

It is particularly important in a season where the Blues are looking to go one better than last season’s domestic treble – and add the UEFA Women’s Champions League trophy to their haul, having never won the competition.

Livia Peng: The Euros was a great experience for the whole country

Peng is used to the big stages having featured in the summer’s Women’s Euros for hosts Switzerland. They made it through to the knock-out stages after a group stage in which they beat Iceland 2-0 and then drew 1-1 with Finland.

“It was amazing,” Peng said in an interview with Chelsea’s official club website. “The fans were incredible and I think we had a good tournament. To play more games, to have all the fan marches, to have the full stadiums, and the whole country involved was outstanding.

“It was a great experience for the whole team and the country. I really hope we will keep it up and people will keep supporting us.”

Livia Peng: Saving Putellas’s penalty was really cool

She also reflected on her most notable moment of the tournament as an individual – a penalty save in the quarter-final against Spain’s superstar Alexia Putellas. Peng admits it was “a big moment” but says at the time she was focused on encouraging her team to score goals and overturn the existing 2-0 deficit against the world champions.

“Now I’ve reflected on it, it was really cool, and I’m happy I could save it. I think in the end it was down to the whole team, and I’m just proud of everyone.”

Switzerland were unable to come back from two goals down, though, and exited the tournament there, with Noelle Maritz receiving a red card in added time.

She also discussed the tournament’s long-term legacy: “Inspiring young girls to play football is the main goal, especially at a home Euros, to show them they can do it and to believe in their dreams.”

Chelsea’s next match in the Women’s Super League is on Sunday, 14th September, when they travel to Villa Park to take on Aston Villa.