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Predicting Chelsea's 2025-26 season as Enzo Maresca's Blues make Champions League return

Originally posted on Absolute Chelsea on SI
By Matt Debono | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 12:30 PM ET

Chelsea are looking to build on their impressive first season under head coach Enzo Maresca as their Champions League return awaits.

Four pieces of silverware are on offer for Chelsea, as they look to better their 2024/25 campaign which saw them finish fourth in the Premier League, and win both the Conference League and Club World Cup.

Maresca's Blues exceeded expectations last term, which has offered him the greatest satisfaction, and they will hope to get off to a positive start in August as their Premier League campaign gets underway.

During their domestic campaign, they will have to contend with additional cup commitments, featuring in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, as well as the Champions League - making their first appearance in the competition since the 2022/23 season.

Maresca previewed: "This shows how good the team has been last season. Because as you said, when I joined the club one year ago, the noise around the club was completely different noise compared to now, for many reasons.

"We are a better team for sure, compared to one year ago. The reason why is because we work together every day for one season. I think what the club, what the team achieved the first season has been top, fantastic.

"Finishing Champions League, Conference League, that was the competition we were in. The club worked hard. More than this, it was quite difficult to achieve something more. Now it's a new season and we'll see."

Chelsea's players are targeting more silverware. That has been made clear. With many incomings this summer, along with a host of departures, Maresca's squad is shaping up to deliver another exciting, and hopefully successful, campaign for everyone connected with the club.

Ahead of Chelsea's Premier League campaign getting underway, Absolute Chelsea have made their predictions for the 2025-26 season.

Matt Debono

Premier League: 2nd
FA Cup: Quarter-Finals
Carabao Cup: Winners
Champions League: Quarter-Finals
Top Scorer: Joao Pedro
Player of the Season: Cole Palmer
Young Player of the Season: Estevao Willian

Joel Middleton

Premier League: 3rd
FA Cup: Winners
Carabao Cup: Quarter-Finals
Champions League: Semi-Finals
Top Scorer: Cole Palmer
Player of the Season: Moises Caicedo
Young Player of the Season: Jamie Gittens

Sam Collins

Premier League: 3rd
FA Cup: Winners
Carabao Cup: Round of 16
Champions League: Quarter-Finals
Top Scorer: Cole Palmer
Player of the Season: Reece James
Young Player of the Season: Jorrel Hato

Jamie Skelly

Premier League: 3rd
FA Cup: Semi-Finals
Carabao Cup: Winners
Champions League: Semi-Finals
Top Scorer: Cole Palmer
Player of the Season: Reece James
Young Player of the season: Andrey Santos

Nick Emms

Premier League: 2nd
FA Cup: Winners
Carabao Cup: Quarter-Finals
Champions League: Semi-Finals
Top Scorer: Joao Pedro
Player of the Season: Cole Palmer
Young Player of the Season: Josh Acheampong

This article first appeared on Absolute Chelsea on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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