Chelsea Target Back-to-Back Top-Four Finishes in 2025/26 Under Maresca | OneFootball

Optimism is back at Stamford Bridge heading into the 2025/26 season as Chelsea seek a return among the Premier League elite.

Last season was a success for the Blues. Enzo Maresca inspired the club to Europa Conference League glory and a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Chelsea will compete in the Champions League after a two-year absence, and for the first time since Todd Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich.

Buoyed by a morale-boosting club season in Europe, Chelsea won the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in July, reinforcing the club’s lofty ambitions ahead of the new campaign.

Re-establishing the London outfit as genuine title contenders in the Premier League is Maresca’s next assignment, even though the competition can hardly be fiercer.

Here’s our Chelsea season preview for 2025/26.

Chelsea Fixtures

Chelsea’s season gets underway at Stamford Bridge as last season’s FA Cup winners Crystal Palace travel across London for the opening-day clash on August 17.

The Blues have four consecutive London derbies before a day-five showdown against bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in mid-September.

Speaking of encounters against rivals from the capital, Maresca’s men take on Arsenal in late November, while they renew hostilities at the Emirates Stadium towards the end of February.

Another blockbuster clash awaits the Blues at the start of October as they welcome Liverpool to the Bridge, with the return fixture set to take place at Anfield in early May.

Boxing Day features an exciting home game against Aston Villa, while the new calendar year starts with a mouth-watering trip to the Etihad Stadium to meet Manchester City.

Chelsea’s season ends away to newly promoted Sunderland.

Manager

Many were sceptical when Chelsea announced Maresca’s appointment last season.

Despite guiding Leicester City to Premier League promotion in 2023/24, a lack of experience in top-flight management was a downside.

It felt like the Blues were taking a leap of faith after Mauricio Pochettino and other high-profile managers failed to live up to expectations.

However, the Italian proved a gamble worth taking as he elevated Chelsea to new heights, instilling tactical discipline and a clear identity that had long been missing.

Pep Guardiola’s mentorship played a significant role in shaping Maresca’s managerial style.

Maresca adopted many of the Man City tactician’s core principles during his stint at the Etihad as an assistant manager.

Controlled build-up from the back and lengthy spells of possession have become his trademark at the Bridge, which worked wonders for Chelsea last term.

With the honeymoon period over, Maresca now faces the real test.

He must prove last season’s return to prominence wasn’t just a one-off, with expectations skyrocketing after Chelsea signed several top players this summer.

Transfers

Chelsea cannot sit tight during transfer windows. That’s been one of the hallmarks of Boehly’s early regime.

This summer has been no different, with the Blues completing multiple incoming deals, adding to an already bloated squad.

Young guns Kendry Paez and Estevao have arrived from South America for a combined transfer fee of €44 million.

Dario Essugo’s arrival from Sporting CP cost the Blues north of €22m, while Mamadou Sarr’s transfer poured €14m into Strasbourg’s coffers.

However, those agreements barely serve to scratch the surface.

Tired of Nicolas Jackson’s well-documented wastefulness in front of goal, Chelsea have signed two star Premier League strikers.

Liam Delap left Ipswich Town for €35.5m while Brighton & Hove Albion agreed to sell Joao Pedro for just under €65m.

The latter already made his presence felt during the Club World Cup, suggesting he could be a difference-maker next season.

Marquee summer signing Jamie Gittens set Chelsea back €64m, underlining the club’s commitment to bolstering their attacking firepower.

The former Borussia Dortmund star will take Noni Madueke’s place after the English winger swapped the Blues for Arsenal in a deal worth around €55m.

It’s also worth mentioning that Chelsea have signed talented left-back Jorrel Hato from Ajax to strengthen the flank, predominantly occupied by Marc Cucurella last term.

Despite an outstanding loan spell at Strasbourg in 2024/25, Djordje Petrovic left the Bridge permanently to join Bournemouth for approximately €25m.

Chelsea have recouped around €30m from Joao Felix’s transfer as the Portuguese forward moved to Al-Nassr, while Lesley Ugochukwu switched to Burnley.

Other less noticeable departures include the exits of talented youngsters such as Bashir Humphreys and Mathis Amougou, although those deals bolstered Chelsea’s bank accounts by nearly €30m.

Starting XI

Maresca has shown no intention of drifting away from his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, meaning this will likely be Chelsea’s set-up next term.

Petrovic’s sale confirmed the club’s trust in Robert Sanchez, despite the Spanish goalkeeper enduring a rollercoaster 2024/25 campaign.

As for the Blues’ backline, Levi Colwill remains the leader at the heart of Maresca’s defence, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah fighting for a place next to the English ace.

Cucurella has blossomed under the ex-Leicester boss. He had a guaranteed starting berth before Hato’s arrival. Meanwhile, captain Reece James will likely dislodge Malo Gusto from the line-up after recovering from injury.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have become the cornerstones of Chelsea’s midfield, providing muscle and athleticism from deep in midfield.

Further up the pitch, Cole Palmer is the focal point of the Blues’ attack. After an unfathomable dip in form towards the end of last season, the skilled playmaker returned to his best in the United States.

On the wings, Pedro will operate on the left. His arrival may narrow Pedro Neto’s playing time unless Maresca decides to play the Brazilian as a lone striker.

In a more likely scenario, Neto could switch to the right flank to make space for Gittens on the left, with Delap likely to play second fiddle to Pedro in the centre-forward position.

(4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Cucurella, Colwill, Chalobal, James; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Gittens; Pedro.

Star Player

Palmer has been the beating heart of this Chelsea side since moving in from Man City in 2023.

Widely considered among the best Premier League forwards, Palmer has quickly become the most influential figure at the Bridge.

Chelsea’s results heavily rely on the 23-year-old’s end product, as most recently witnessed by his match-winning performance in the Club World Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite a raft of attacking reinforcements, the left-footed star remains the Blues’ crucial creative force.

Prediction

Consistency wasn’t Chelsea’s strongest suit last season, especially in the second half of the campaign, which nearly cost them a spot in the Champions League.

However, if Maresca builds on his foundations and keeps the team focused, Chelsea could comfortably secure a top-four finish and mount a serious challenge for trophies this season.

We would not go as far as to name them genuine title candidates, but they have the potential to bridge the gap on last year’s top three.

Another fourth-place finish in the league table is the most likely outcome for Chelsea.

Predicted finish: 4th.

Watch Chelsea Live on TV

All 380 Premier League games are shown on Sky Sports and TNT Sports in the UK, while NBC Sports holds the rights to Premier League games in the USA. Chelsea’s Champions League games will be shown on TNT Sports in the UK. See our Chelsea live streaming page for more information.

Read Next: Our full Premier League 2025/26 preview (with links to all individual Premier League team previews).