Football Season Guide

A run of four wins in their last five games saw Chelsea finish fourth, achieving their target for last season by qualifying for the Champions League. Meanwhile, coach Enzo Maresca heavily rotated between competitions, with Chelsea’s backup players going all the way to Conference League success. For yet another off-season, Chelsea have spent big, bringing in numerous players to beef up their squad, one which currently is arguably the deepest in the league. João Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Estêvão are some of the signings who stand out and all three are expected to be starters next term. Following the end of a successful campaign, Chelsea went on to win the Club World Cup with a dominant 3-0 win over Champions League winners PSG in the final, sending a strong message to the rest of Europe. Maresca may have practically two quality players in each position, but he has had very limited time to work with them in pre-season due to the team’s participation in the FIFA tournament. Meanwhile, Levi Colwill’s serious injury will force Chelsea to sign a top-level centre-back. Chelsea’s depth is undoubtedly their main strength in a season where they will be asked to juggle between competitions, with expectations being higher this term due to their latest domestic and international success. Yet, this might prove to be a double-edged sword that turns into a weakness, as Maresca needs to build team cohesion and make everyone happy without having the time to properly prepare them in pre-season. It remains to be seen whether he can manage such an oversized squad.