Emma Hayes said her players were suffering with stress and anxiety due to fears over Covid-19 before their 4-0 defeat by Wolfsburg - which sent them crashing out of the Champions League on Thursday.
The Women’s Super League champions only needed a point to top their group or avoid defeat by two clear goals to progress to the knockouts but were well beaten by their German opponents.
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and Drew Spence were both ruled out of the match after returning positive PCR tests. Chelsea’s players were unable to go home for Christmas last year after a mass Covid outbreak in their squad and Hayes said players fear they will be in the same position next week.