Returning from months on the sidelines is a huge challenge for any footballer. To do it twice in succession is a daunting prospect — but Chelsea’s Nathalie Bjorn has overcome the odds to do just that.
The defender suffered a hamstring injury in December 2025, keeping her out for three months. She made her comeback during the then-named League Cup final against Manchester United in March - but lasted just 120 seconds until she picked up another injury and was forced off.
"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. It was a weird roller coaster of emotions that day and really difficult to handle," Bjorn exclusively told Sky Sports of that day.
This time, it was her calf - and begun the process of rehabilitation once again. This time, it sidelined her for six months.
"The first injury was really difficult," the Sweden international reflected. "I've had longer injuries before, so I felt confident in the help I got around here. I felt confident in myself and my body.
"It's not nice to miss games, but I was very hopeful. I had a very good rehab, I was aiming for the League Cup final and thinking 'towards the end of the season, I'll be back.'
"Then that didn't go according to plan. I felt quite early in the game against Man Utd that 'oh this feels different'.
"The second time around, it was a really tough rehab, I'm going to be honest. 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'.
"But I had really good help from Andy Walling, who was my physio here at Chelsea. We had a really good relationship and he allowed me to feel all the emotions that I had to feel, which really helped, so I could have days where I felt like 'I just want to go home' and he was like 'that's completely fine. You do that'.
"He really helped me and along with my team-mates, who came in the gym asking 'how are you? How's it going?', but it was a lot of ups and downs.
"I did think 'am I going to come back in the same way that I was before?'. There had been doubts in my mind during my rehab and learning how to walk, learning how to run, learning how to do everything from scratch, because the season before was probably the best season of my career.
"It was going from the highest of highest to the lowest of lowest."
And Bjorn does feel like she is getting back to her best, adding: "I feel strong. I feel good in the [training] sessions and good in the games that I've been managing to play.
"After this period of being out for so long, I really learned how to appreciate my body and day-to-day training. People always ask me 'what are you looking forward to?' and I'm just happy to be right here right now.
"That's been the biggest learning point for me in this 10 months of rehab is to enjoy every day."
Bjorn made her Chelsea latest return at the end of September against Birmingham, coming on as an 87th minute substitute.
"The reception was unreal," she said of the game. "I didn't understand it was for me at first, but then when I started looking around and I saw my teammates looking at me smiling, I thought 'oh OK, this is for me'.
"I got a bit shy, but it was one of the highlights in my career, and my mum and my sister were there as well.
"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'. 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. That just came washing over me. It was a bit weird, but it was amazing."
'I lead by being reliable'
This summer, Bjorn was also named as one of Chelsea's vice captains alongside Lucy Bronze, supporting new captain Erin Cuthbert. It helps, Bjorn says, that they all have different traits as leaders that make them a good team - confirmed by a personality test.
Reflecting on her own qualities, the 29-year-old said: "I'm a very calm leader outside the pitch. I'm very social, I see everyone, I think I'm very easy to talk to.
"On the pitch, I want to be reliable. I want to keep my standard high at all times. I don't have to be the one who is making the most tackles or scoring the most goals. I always put the team in front of me and I whatever role I have, I will play it to 100 percent.
"I think that is my way of leading the team. I want to be the person they can rely on."
How Chelsea are learning from last season
Bjorn's return has coincided with an uptick in Chelsea's form and performances. The 2025/26 season was a test after an unbeaten previous campaign - Sonia Bompastor's first at the club - but the Blues are unbeaten in all competitions this term.
Chelsea have also conceded the fewest goals this season (3) - something pleasing for a defender like Bjorn.
"Since we came in this summer, the intensity and the way we practice during the [training] sessions has been brilliant," she said.
"To drive that quality all the time, it really helps us. There are also world-class players in this environment, so every training is important and it's difficult. We challenge each other really well.
"From last season, we've managed to build more relationships to understand each other and what each player needs in certain situations or during the game.
"The first season when Sonia came and we went unbeaten, everything was high and we were living our best lives, we also felt like 'there will come like a bump in the road and how are we going to handle that situation?'.
"Last season was a test for us in many aspects and it's how you come out from those situations that proves how strong you are as a team.
"It's very important that we learn from those games and the mistakes that we made. What can we do better so we don't end up in that situation again?
"That also reflects a little bit on the Aston Villa game. We didn't get that point, we know we had many opportunities to put the game to bed, so take that as a learning and then strive to be better."
Facing Crystal Palace this weekend, live on Sky Sports, will be another opportunity not only for Bjorn to get more minutes under her belt, but for Chelsea to continue their unbeaten start to the season. The Eagles have already shown their competitiveness, drawing 0-0 with Arsenal at the Emirates in September.
"It sounds so cliché, but everything can happen in football," Bjorn remarked. "Like we say in Sweden, 'the ball is round', so everything can happen. We need to set the tone directly from the beginning, put them under pressure and play our game."
Watch Crystal Palace vs Chelsea in the WSL live on Sky Sports Mix from 11.45am on Sunday; kick off 12pm. Watch in-game clips and free match highlights across Sky Sports' digital platforms shortly after full-time.