Nathalie Bjorn has completed an extraordinary double injury comeback at Chelsea after a hamstring problem was followed by a calf injury that kept the Sweden defender out for six months.
Bjorn returned from her first lay-off in March during Chelsea’s League Cup final against Manchester United, only to be forced off after two minutes. She then began another lengthy rehabilitation, having already spent three months sidelined with the hamstring injury suffered in December.
“It was really difficult having your comeback, getting subbed out after two minutes and then you win a trophy, but you’re crying at the same time and you’re happy,” Bjorn said. “It was a weird roller coaster of emotions that day and really difficult to handle.”
The second injury proved particularly demanding, with Bjorn admitting there were days when she did not want to train or remain in the gym. Chelsea physiotherapist Andy Walling and her team-mates helped her through the six-month recovery.
“There were days where I felt like ‘I can’t do this. I don’t want to be in the gym. I don’t want to be here’,” the 29-year-old said.
She also questioned whether she would be able to regain the form she had shown before the injuries. “I did think ‘am I going to come back in the same way that I was before?’” Bjorn said, describing the experience as a fall “from the highest of highest to the lowest of lowest”.
Her latest Chelsea return came at the end of September, when she entered as an 87th-minute substitute against Birmingham. The reception from the crowd and her team-mates marked a significant moment after months of rehabilitation.
“The emotional feeling after was more like ‘I did it, like I’m finally back. I’ve been through hell and back and I’m here now’,” Bjorn said. “All the days where you don’t want to do your rehab, every day when you’re doubting yourself, it’s all worth it in the end.”
Nathalie Bjorn takes on Chelsea leadership role
Bjorn’s return has coincided with her appointment as one of Chelsea’s vice-captains, alongside Lucy Bronze, with Erin Cuthbert taking on the captaincy.
She believes the leadership group works because each player brings different qualities. Bjorn described herself as calm and approachable away from the pitch, while aiming to provide consistency during matches.
“On the pitch, I want to be reliable. I want to keep my standard high at all times,” she said. “I always put the team in front of me and whatever role I have, I will play it to 100 percent.”
The defender has also developed a greater appreciation of everyday training during her recovery. “That’s been the biggest learning point for me in this 10 months of rehab is to enjoy every day,” she said.
Bjorn feels she is now approaching her best again, saying she feels strong in training and in the matches she has managed to play. Her return has come as Chelsea remain unbeaten in all competitions this season and have conceded three goals.
She said the squad had learned from the difficulties of last season, using them to improve communication and understand what team-mates require in different situations.
Chelsea were due to face Crystal Palace next, with Bjorn hoping to build up more playing time. Palace had already demonstrated their competitiveness by drawing 0-0 with Arsenal in September.
“It sounds so cliché, but everything can happen in football,” Bjorn said. “We need to set the tone directly from the beginning, put them under pressure and play our game.”
