Chelsea supporters simply cannot wait for the 2025–26 Premier League season to get underway, and the world champions take to the field on Sunday afternoon.
Momentum from their Club World Cup success permeated into their victories over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan as part of the club’s condensed preseason. There’s a sense that this evolving Blues outfit could challenge this term after fading over Christmas in 2024–25.
However, their opening weekend duel has the makings of a banana skin. Chelsea will be expected to beat Crystal Palace in west London, but the Eagles love playing against the division’s best.
Enzo Maresca has already gotten familiar with several of Chelsea’s shiny new toys this summer, and here’s the starting lineup he could pick for Palace’s visit this weekend.






