With the festive period approaching, it’s time to assess Chelsea’s 2024-25 season so far and the club’s UCL prospects.
Since Todd Boehly took over Chelsea back in 2022, it’s been a wild ride for Chelsea supporters. In just two years, the Boehly-led consortium has spent £1.15bn — yes, billion – on players, with 39 players arriving in the process. To say it’s been a spending spree would be a bit of an understatement, but what’s surprising is how little Chelsea have had to show for it on the pitch.
They’ve struggled massively, parting ways with five managers (most recently Mauricio Pochettino) who have failed to get the most out of a highly bloated squad. But following the arrival of new manager Enzo Maresca in the summer, things have been looking better for the Blues — and they could potentially qualify for the Champions League this season.
Champions League Qualifications Looks Likely for Chelsea
After a strong start to the 2024-25 season, where Chelsea currently sit fourth in the table with a 4-2-1 record, Champions League qualification is looking more likely than it has over previous seasons.
What’s interesting is that Chelsea’s opening-game 0-2 defeat against Man City immediately put pressure on Maresca, with lots of noise coming from both the media and Blues fans alike. However, the noise quickly quietened down when Chelsea bounced back in a 6-2 win against Wolves, setting the tone for the remaining games leading up to the international break. Since then, Chelsea have been undefeated and scored goals for fun, hitting the back of the net 16 times in the process. Most importantly, though, Maresca has tightened Chelsea up at the back, with the club comfortably picking up several clean sheets in the process.
Maresca’s Reign So Far
One thing that’s seemingly apparent is that Enzo Maresca has implemented a new culture at the club during his three months in West London. The players are more united, the squad is less bloated, and Chelsea finally resemble a team again, putting to bed the criticism that Chelsea are a “squad of individuals”. Plus, Chelsea have been smart in the transfer window, bringing in the likes of Pedro Neto and João Félix (who was previously on loan with Chelsea in 2023) while also getting rid of some deadwood. Undoubtedly, it’s been a positive period for the Blues and marks a successful start to Maresca’s reign.
When it comes to Champions League qualification, Chelsea currently have 8/11 odds with most bookies. You can deposit from just £1 at some bookies, so lots of fans have placed bets on Chelsea to finish inside the top 4 come the end of the season. Regarding the long-term vision and a potential return to the UCL, Enzo Maresca has provided his thoughts on this:
The vision I have is that the club is looking for something for 5 or 10 years […] Nobody from the club asked me for the Champions League spot this year. What they said is that we need to arrive and compete, step by step.
Despite his claim that there’s no pressure from the Chelsea hierarchy to qualify for the Champions League this season, rest assured that Maresca and his Chelsea men are desperate to make it following an incredibly underwhelming first chapter of the Todd Boehly era. And now that Maresca seems to have succeeded with his goal to “create the right culture”, it’s fair to say that Chelsea will almost certainly be in or around the top 4 when May arrives next year.
Cole Palmer — The Key to Champions League Qualification?
Chelsea have seen a major boost to their top 4 odds following the continued form of Cole Palmer, who has picked up exactly where he left off last season. Palmer, fresh off an excellent EURO 2024 campaign with England despite not starting any games, has already bagged 6 goals and 5 assists, solidifying himself as Chelsea’s main threat going forward. If Palmer can continue his red-hot form, then Chelsea will push for the top 4 and also likely go far in one of the cup competitions, whether it’s the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, or Europa Conference League.
Aside from Palmer, Chelsea are also looking dangerous in other parts of the pitch, too. The biggest surprise has been the explosion of Nicolas Jackson, who has been firing on all cylinders following an extremely disappointing campaign last season. There’s also been the arrival of a rejuvenated Jadon Sancho, who looks hungrier than ever after finally leaving Manchester United to join Chelsea back in August. And of course, Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández look extremely solid in the midfield, providing Chelsea with the perfect foundation to push forward while also maintaining extra defensive stability at the back.
Conclusion
Will Chelsea qualify for the Champions League this season? It’s highly likely. Not only do Chelsea look like a much improved team, but they are also facing less competition from the clubs around them. Aston Villa have a packed schedule, Spurs are once again inconsistent, Newcastle have underperformed so far, and Manchester United are off to their worst start to a season ever. So, as long as the Blues can keep picking up points, they will be in with a good shot at finishing behind City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, who look set to grab the top three positions in the league.