Chelsea kick off their 2024-25 Premier league season at Stamford bridge against champions Man City on Sunday.
Chelsea vs Man City to be the most anticipated fixture as both teams try to begin the season with a statement performance. Manchester City will be hoping to defend their title and make it five in a row for the first time in English football history.
On the other hand Chelsea have seen a managerial change with Enzo Maresca replacing the outgoing Mauricio Pochetino. The Blues have again spent big in the transfer market and made significant signings. After two seasons of below par performances Chelsea would be looking to take back their spot among the elites.
TRANSFER ACTIVITY
Man City and Chelsea have had two contrasting kinds of Transfer activities this summer. So Let’s look at some of their incomings and outgoings.
Man City
City have been less busy in the market as their only big splash being the 20 year old Brazilian winger Savinho. While he was on loan at Girona last season, he played a big part in a historic season for the club. He is a technically gifted player known for his versatility and can play on either wing.
“His impact has been good. He’s so fast. He has to try to understand English a little and communicate with his mates,” said Guardiola about his new signing.
The Cityzens had Argentine striker Julian Alvarez heading out to Atletico Madrid for a hefty fee of 82 million pounds.
Chelsea
The Blues have spent big again this season making significant incomings including some big ones form fellow premier league sides. Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham on a free transfer giving some defensive reinforcements. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City for 30M pounds and Pedro Neto from Wolves for 51M pounds. According to football.london, Joao Felix is heavily rumoured to make a shock return to Stamford Bridge. Which might add more fire power to the Blues attack.
CHELSEA VS MAN CITY MATCH PREVIEW
The Blues have not had the best of the pre-season tour. They managed only a single victory out of the six pre season friendlies they played which came against Club America on Aug 1. Their losses came at the hands of Real Madrid, Man City, Celtic and Wrexham. The final pre-season outing for Chelsea ended in a 1-1 draw at the Bridge.
City faced Chelsea on 4th August where the reigning Champions won 4-2 with striker Erling Haaland scoring a hat-trick.
Their pre-season was a mix of results as they lost against Celtic and Milan and drew against Barcelona.
Man City are heading to Chelsea after winning the Community Shield title on Sunday. They beat rivals Manchester United 7-6 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in normal time.
CHELSEA TO PRESS AND CITY TO HOLD
Chelsea under Maresca will play high pressing football and with a solid defense they will try to make quick transitions to attack. They already have an overflow of options in the attacking positions. The addition of Pedro Neto and Dewsbury-Hall just shows the depth of their attack. To find the right combination among the whole host of options would be the key to success vs City.
On the other hand, City will be expected to keep the ball and control the game with their short passing. Consequently, their strategy will focus on maintaining possession and dictating the pace of the match. Midfielders like Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Rodri will be trying to make chances for their star striker Haaland. The addition of Savinho hands them with an extra spark in the attack. We might see youngster James McAtee given a few minutes vs Chelsea as Pep confirmed his stay in the post match PC on Sunday.
A trusted source on ManCityNews.comA trusted source on ChelseaNews.com
For more football updates, make sure to follow us on:
