After two seasons of free spending, managerial adjustments and full underachievement, Chelsea have lastly settled beneath the Clearlake-Boehly regime, with Enzo Maresca on the helm.
Regardless of a return to competing for continental locations, the sheer amount of cash spent on their workforce might want to ultimately justify the worth paid, within the return of silverware and constant high 4 finishes.
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The Premier League to this point
It’s unusual to say {that a} workforce that value virtually £2bn had been virtually an unknown amount heading into the season, however there was an actual blended opinion on the place the Blues would find yourself come the top of the 24/25 marketing campaign.
In direction of the top of the 23/24 season, it had began to look as if it had all come collectively beneath Mauricio Pochettino, however his departure in the summertime threw extra doubt over the competency of the present possession.
Nonetheless, the appointment of Maresca from Leicester had appeared to be a masterstroke as a nine-game unbeaten streak following defeat to Liverpool noticed Chelsea simply 4 factors off the league leaders heading into Christmas.
After dropping in opposition to Fulham, inconsistency has change into a problem, solely profitable 4 of their 9 league video games in 2025, with two of these in opposition to relegation fodder in Southampton and Leicester.
The drop in kind from key participant Cole Palmer has been a merciless coincidence, because the Englishman has struggled to duplicate his early season kind, scoring only one objective in 2025, a stat that appeared unthinkable in going into the brand new 12 months.
This comes alongside a season-long concern between the sticks, with neither Robert Sanchez nor Filip Jorgensen capable of maintain their place within the facet, offering a constant weak spot that can present hope for his or her workforce.
The return of Reece James will present a lift for the workforce, offering he can keep match, as they hope to return to a extra constant run of kind, which is able to probably be sufficient to search out themselves within the prolonged Champions League locations.
Will Chelsea match Convention League expectations?
The controversial European competitors has been a breeding floor for Chelsea’s huge array of gamers, with Maresca utilizing the competitors to provide alternatives to those that have struggled to get minutes within the league, in addition to children resembling Tyrique George.
Having been the early match favourites, the Blues have lived as much as that tag, coasting by way of the league part after a shock defeat within the playoff second leg in opposition to Swiss facet Servette.
After getting previous potential banana pores and skin FC Copenhagen, they’ll subsequent face Legia Warsaw, in a tie you’ll anticipate the West London facet to win comfortably.
With clear second favourites Fiorentina and Actual Betis on the opposite facet of the draw, it feels secure to imagine that Chelsea will meet a type of groups within the last, and also you’d should favour Maresca’s facet on paper.
A trophy win, irrespective of the expectation, would do loads for the Italian in his first season on the membership, and would proceed his silverware streak following his Championship win with Leicester final season.
What does a profitable season appear like for Chelsea?
If Chelsea can win the Convention League, and finish the season within the high 5, it is going to be exhausting to argue in opposition to that not being successful for Maresca and co.
After their sturdy begin to the season, it could be seen as barely underwhelming, however the Blues have slowly began to construct again after the disastrous 22/23 season.
Some huge cash has been spent, and whereas the workforce nonetheless seems to be unbalanced, a Champions League end does present platform to draw gamers who add to Chelsea’s senior squad.
With solely three video games in opposition to groups which are in and round them, in Fulham, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, in addition to large video games in opposition to the struggling Tottenham and Manchester United, the Blues have a comparatively difficult run-in.
It isn’t out of the query that Chelsea drops out of the highest 5, which makes profitable the Convention League essential by way of leaving the season with one thing to hold their hat on.
