Not since Jose Mourinho strutted down the King’s Road 21 years ago and proclaimed himself as the ‘Special One’ have Chelsea FC fans had cause to be as excited about a new season.
This month’s sensational 3-0 dismantling of a Paris Saint-Germain team who were being touted as a generational talent in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ final has skyrocketed their supporters’ optimism for the new campaign under coach Enzo Maresca, where they will be chasing English Premier League and UEFA Champions League success.
Chelsea were not among the favourites before the tournament got under way in June.
Their English Premier League campaign started promisingly before a drop in form around the festive period where the Blues went on a five-game run without a win and any title hopes evaporated with Liverpool setting a blistering pace at the top of the table.
But the clues were there that Chelsea could come good in the USA.
An encouraging end to the domestic campaign saw them secure a Champions League spot for the first time in three years on the final day of the season with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest to make it five wins out of their last six league games.
And they added the UEFA Europa Conference League to their impressive European trophy haul, which includes two UEFA Champions League successes and two UEFA Europa League wins when they eased to a 4-1 win over Real Betis in the final in Wroclaw, Poland.
They endured mixed fortunes initially when they landed Stateside, defeating LAFC before suffering defeat in their second game to CR Flamengo.
Chelsea then clicked into gear and stormed to the final having seen off Espérance de Tunisie, SL Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense FC in the semi-final before facing the all-conquering PSG juggernaut in the final.
Luis Enrique’s men had captured global attention with swashbuckling wins over FC Internazionale Milano in a one-sided 5-0 romp in the UEFA Champions League Final before swatting aside Real Madrid C. F. 4-0 in the semi-final in a win that could have been even more comprehensive. They looked utterly unstoppable.
However, pundits who had queued up to proclaim PSG as champions had reckoned without the tactical genius of Maresca – the Italian coach had a plan.
“We won the game in the first 10 minutes. It set the tone,” remarked Maresca. And he was right.
Adopting a high-pressing, aggressive approach knocked the usually easy-on-the-eye Parisians well and truly off their stride and rattled them. Normally marauding full-backs were unable to supply a front line who had previously been untameable. PSG made a remarkable number of unforced errors. By half time it was effectively all over.
A double from the excellent Cole Palmer and a sublime third from in-tournament signing Joao Pedro meant the outcome was never in doubt. “It was difficult for us from the opening minutes,” Luis Enrique said. “I said that Chelsea are a good team. They showed it.”
Chelsea ended the season with 14 wins out of 16 in all competitions and they will be brimming with confidence going into their new campaign.
The Blues have not been English champions since 2017 – their fifth title in a 12-year spell and priority will be given this season to cut the gap on champions Liverpool at the very least. Last term, they trailed in 15 points behind the Anfield side and they will also have to make up ground on fellow title hopefuls Manchester City and Arsenal.
Despite criticism from some quarters over their squad size, Maresca has now assembled one of the youngest and hungriest groups in England as their summer recruits have shown.
Eight players have arrived so far in the summer transfer window – Mike Penders (19), Dario Essugo (20), Liam Delap (22), Mamadou Sarr (19), Kendry Paez (18), Joao Pedro (23), Jamie Gittens (20) and Estevao (18).
The young additions will be introduced to compliment the likes of Reece James, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Marc Cucurella, Malo Gusto and their talisman Palmer – who won the adidas Golden Ball.
With Pedro and Delap contributing 22 goals last season in the Premier League between them, firepower shouldn’t be an issue.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez – who was not first choice throughout all of last season – looks reborn after an outstanding final which earned him the FIFA Club World Cup Golden Glove award.
Maresca made it clear after the game, he saw the victory over PSG as a launchpad for success. “I think it will become as important as the Champions League and we value it as much as winning that,” he said.
They start their English Premier League title challenge against Crystal Palace on 17 August and defender Levi Colwill believes Chelsea can challenge both in the title race and the UEFA Champions League.
“I said at the start of this tournament that our plan is to win it and people looked at me as if I was crazy,” he said. “So I’m going to say the exact same thing now about the Premier League and Champions League.
“I think the Club World Cup will be bigger than the Champions League and we were the first team to win it. It was a statement victory and, in the future, if we keep winning trophies, then everyone will give us the love that we deserve.
“I think we’re ready and we’ll see next season.”
Blues skipper Reece James echoed his fellow defender’s view. “It’s a big statement,” he said. “I’m happy with how much the club has progressed and how next season we’re competing in the Premier League, to win the title and compete and to go far in the Champions League as well.”
