Chelsea return to action on Friday night, hosting Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge in what will be their first outing since winning the Club World Cup. It is officially a friendly, but for Enzo Maresca, the stakes are more complex.
His players have had only four full training sessions after a rare extended break. While rivals across Europe have spent weeks in pre-season camps, Chelsea’s schedule has been condensed into a handful of days. That has left little time for the kind of tactical preparation and conditioning Maresca would normally demand.
“It’s about getting the balance right,” he said this week. “We want to be ready for Crystal Palace next weekend, but we also need minutes in the legs.”
The balance has already been disrupted by injury. Levi Colwill’s absence means Jorrel Hato, the 18-year-old signed this summer, is expected to feature in central defence. Marc Cucurella should start at left-back, with Reece James taking his familiar position on the right. In goal, Robert Sánchez will remain first choice for now, despite Chelsea’s unsuccessful move for Mike Maignan earlier in the summer. Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah are also in line for defensive roles.
For supporters, the real intrigue lies further forward. Willian Estevão, the Brazilian teenager tipped as one of the most exciting young players in the game, could make his home debut. Jamie Gittens, another summer arrival, is also pushing for a first appearance. João Pedro is likely to lead the line, though Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson will be eager for opportunities.
Predicted line-ups vary. Some expect Maresca to go with a strong side, keeping the trusted Moisés Caicedo–Enzo Fernández partnership in midfield and placing Estevão and Gittens on the wings. Others see a more experimental approach, with Hato starting alongside Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos joining Caicedo, and Pedro Neto featuring in attack.
With the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace just over a week away, Maresca must use these back-to-back friendlies — Leverkusen on Friday, AC Milan on Sunday — to sharpen his squad without risking injuries. It is a delicate task, but one that could also offer fans an early glimpse of the new Chelsea he is building.
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