It's time for Chelsea to kick off their Premier League season, and they'll do it with a classic London derby against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Both of these teams had a successful last season, picking up three trophies between them. The Eagles have already added another to their collection by winning the Community Shield just last weekend.
Chelsea's Ambitions and Challenges
After a historic season that saw them win the Conference League and the Club World Cup, Chelsea is back in domestic action. While a fourth-place finish and a return to Champions League football was a good start, more is expected from Enzo Maresca's squad, especially with the huge investments made in the team.
Despite his cup wins, the jury is still out on Maresca. The Blues had a difficult mid-season slump and only secured their Champions League spot on the final day, a stark contrast to their early-season form.
A short preseason due to their Club World Cup run hasn't helped, and even after spending big in the transfer market again, few are betting on them for the title. However, they did manage two friendly wins against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan, and now the real test begins. The Blues face a challenging start with four straight London derbies against Palace, West Ham, Fulham, and Brentford.
A Favorable Fixture for the Blues?
Historically, this is a great opening fixture for Chelsea. They haven't lost their first league match in back-to-back seasons since the late 90s, and they're currently on a 15-game unbeaten streak against Crystal Palace in the Premier League. The Blues have won seven of their last eight home games against the Eagles.
The two teams also met on the opening day in 2021, a match Chelsea won 3-0. This adds to a great record of four wins in four previous opening-day matches against London clubs.
Palace's Tough Road Ahead
For Palace, this is a tricky start to a very busy August. On top of their league schedule, they'll have to play in a two-legged playoff against Fredrikstad after losing their appeal against demotion to the Conference League.
Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles are coming off a fantastic Community Shield win over Liverpool, where they battled to a penalty shootout victory. Despite the recent success, the future of star players like Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi is still uncertain, which could affect the team's performance.
Palace faces a tough month, with away trips to both Chelsea and Aston Villa, as well as a home game against Nottingham Forest. Still, the team is on a nine-match unbeaten streak in all competitions and will be motivated to have a much better start than last season, when they won only one of their first 13 games.
