The big match kicks off the 2024-25 season on Sunday, August 18. Chelsea's Singha Bulls will open Stamford Bridge to welcome former champions the Blues to Manchester City, at 10:30pm Thailand time. The pair met three times last season, drawing 4-4 at home to Chelsea and 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium, while Manchester City won the FA Cup semi-final in April, 1-0 thanks to Bernardo Silva's winner.
Maresca admitted he has not completed training with the players yet as Chelsea continue to add reinforcements.
Premier League Schedule, Season 2024-25, Opening Match of the Season – with Match Time
Enzo Maresca, the new coach of Chelsea The assistant to Pep Guardiola, he has played six friendlies, winning just one. The last home game was a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan, and Reece James will not feature in that game, still nursing a hamstring injury from last season, causing Malo Gusto to start instead at right-back. The midfield duo will be Wesley Fofana and Levi Colville, likely to play at centre-half, with Marc Kojoria, a Euro 2024 hero with Spain. On the left, Romeo Lavia could get his first Premier League start after joining the team 12 months ago and struggling with long-term injury problems. He will link up in midfield with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, as well as Conor Gallagher, who is currently linked with a move to Atletico Madrid. There may be no name in this match, while the three attacking coordinators, Cole Palmer, who scored 22 league goals last season, is ready to play against the old team along with Pedro Neto, the new attacking line brought in from Hampton and Christopher Nkunku
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, former champion He led the team to a Community Shield win, their seventh in the competition, winning 7-6 on penalties after a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes while fit for this match. He will still be without Rodri Hernandez, who only returned to training with the team on Wednesday. After helping Spain win Euro 2024 and still recovering from a hamstring injury, Norway's rising star winger Oscar Popp is another player still out injured and will have to rest for 3-4 months after undergoing surgery on a fractured fibula, while England's three players, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones, have only just returned to training with the first team for a few days. Whether this match will be full enough to play remains to be seen. But other key players are ready to step into the game, whether it is Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne or Erling Haaland, as well as Jack Grealish, who will hope to compete for a starting spot with the returning Jeremy Dogo like 20-year-old Savinho. The 20-year-old Brazilian newcomer could start on the right in place of the absent Oscar Pope.
The first 11 players are expected to take to the field.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Robert Sanchez – Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levy Colville, Marc Cugureya – Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavea Y, Moises Caicedo- Pedro Neto, Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer
Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Ederson Moraes – Rico Luis, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Josko Guardiol – Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic – Savinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Dogu – Erling Haaland.
Game probability
Chelsea have a lot of options for players to choose from from the young players. Plus you can play at home. But the confrontation with Manchester City is not easy, as even the main players are not back yet. Especially Rudy but he is already known for the fierce tactics of coach Pep Guardiola, especially the deadly attacking play, whether it is Kevin De Bruyne or Erling or the disturbance of Jeremy Dogo, so it is believed that at the end of 90 minutes. Today Manchester City will be better and will attack and collect 3 points.
Expected result
Manchester City won 2-0.
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