Even the most optimistic Chelsea fan would have come into the 2024/25 season with a little trepidation, as the club was still reeling following the shock departure of Mauricio Pochettino, despite bright signs at the end of the previous campaign.
The decision to place faith in Leicester City’s promotion-winning coach, Enzo Maresca, did little to ease fans’ fears that there would be a drop-off. However, it is challenging not to be impressed by the job Maresca has done at Stamford Bridge, achieving a much-needed finish in the Champions League spots on the first attempt.
EUROPEAN WINNERS!!! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sCm3slcbJv
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 28, 2025
Bigger challenges will await the Blues when they return to Europe’s premier competition in 2025/26, and the expectations in the league will also increase. But, fans will look back on Chelsea’s 2024/25 and be satisfied with the results that were achieved.
Blues Back on Track
Eyebrows were raised when the club made the shock decision to part ways with Pochettino at the end of the 2023-24 season, and it would be fair to say that many experts gave Maresca little chance of seeing out the campaign. However, the board’s decision to put their trust in an inexperienced but progressive coach has been vindicated.
It now appears likely that Chelsea have never been nearer to mounting a serious title challenge than they are right now in the post-Roman Abramovic era.
COBHAM. pic.twitter.com/fT62hP8iQQ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 30, 2025
Chelsea ended the season in the much-sought-after fourth spot, winning an impressive 20 of their 38 matches. They also suffered just nine defeats, with only the top three losing fewer games.
One of the most exciting aspects of their progression is the fact that Chelsea were able to achieve all of this despite having one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.
‘We have improved a lot since we started.’ 🗯️ #CFC | #UECLFinal
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 30, 2025
Therefore, there is likely to be further improvement to come over the coming seasons, but adding experience will be vitally important if the club is to challenge for major honours.
Potential Title Push a Season Too Early
It seems like a lifetime ago, but at the half way stage, it felt as though Chelsea were in the mix for the Premier League title in 2024/25.
After 17 rounds of matches, only Liverpool had accumulated more points, and the performances of Cole Palmer were enabling fans to dare to dream that Maresca could do the impossible with the young squad.
However, after winning five on the bounce, any title aspirations disappeared after failing to win in the next five.
Jadon enjoyed that one. 🔥#CFC | #UECLFinal pic.twitter.com/4WWNMy05Nd
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 30, 2025
The dip in the form of Palmer was a key reason for their drop in performance, and there are still questions regarding whether Maresca really is the main man to take Chelsea back to the level that they wish to be at.
His possession-based style of play has rubbed some fans up the wrong way in the second half of the season, with a run of four defeats in seven between matchdays 23 and 29 being a negative point for the Blues. However, the results would certainly indicate that they are back on the right track.
Player of the Season
There have been some strong performers for Chelsea throughout the 2024/25 season. Among those include Spanish left-back Marc Cucurella, who rose to the occasion in the second half of the campaign with a number of important goals.
His experience was a vitally important factor in getting the Blues over the finishing line in their quest for Champions League football. Such has been his importance, it could be now argued that he is one of the first names on the teammate, despite being rumoured with a move away from the club last January.
Moi finishes the match. 🙌#CFC | #UECLFinal pic.twitter.com/RCfrlu3sR0
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 30, 2025
Moises Caicedo also began to vindicate the big money spent on him by the club, forming a dynamic midfield partnership with Enzo Fernandez.
However, Chelsea’s player of the season has to be Cole Palmer. Without the English star, the Blues would have been nowhere near the Champions League spots at the halfway stage. His pre-Christmas form made him one of the standout players in Europe, and he ended the campaign with a mighty impressive 15 goals and eight assists.
Best Moment of the Season
The Europa Conference League has been the perfect tonic for Chelsea this season, but it is hard to judge their dominance in that competition given that the Blues were widely expected to be too strong for any other team before a ball was kicked.
There have been some notable wins in the league this season, including a home success against Liverpool and a dominant 6-2 win at Wolves earlier in the season.
JACCKKSSSONNN!!!! 🇸🇳#CFC | #UECLFinal pic.twitter.com/LeJLPw7nRl
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2025
However, it could be argued that their best moment of the season came in the form of the thrilling encounter at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they beat their London rivals 4-3 in a pulsating clash.
Chelsea found themselves 2-0 down after just 15 minutes, before battling their way back into the contest. A sign of the confidence that the team had earlier in the season was evident in Palmer’s ice-cool Penenka to seal the win late in the fixture.
Most Disappointing Moment of the Season
In truth, there were few disappointing moments for Chelsea in 2024/25, as they beat most of the teams that they were expected to in the Premier League.
However, a sign of their struggles began at Portman Road in late December, as the team underperformed against relegation-threatened Ipswich and were played off the park in a 2-0 loss against the Tractor Boys.
That Palmer turn. 😎#CFC | #UECLFinal pic.twitter.com/0Q0DllDLo4
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2025
Chelsea are typically a team that deals in silverware, meaning that questions would have also been asked of Maresca following early exits in the FA Cup and EFL Cup, losing in the fourth round of both competitions to Brighton and Newcastle, respectively.
Experienced Players to Help Chelsea
Major positives will have been taken from Maresca’s first campaign at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea will need to address a couple of problem positions if they are to achieve at least Champions League qualification in 2025/26.
A new goalkeeper is a must for the Blues, as Robert Sanchez’s inability to play out from the back and claim the ball for crosses has cost the club on a number of occasions.
GAME. SET. MATCH. #CFC | #UECLFinal pic.twitter.com/eTBQCPaMcp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 29, 2025
An experienced central defender to partner Levi Colwill will also feature prominently on the list of potential targets, as Chelsea are yet to replace the influential Thiago Silva. Importantly, Chelsea will also need to bring in a new number nine, as the jury remains out on the raw Nicolas Jackson, who netted ten times in the league.
If Chelsea are to reach the next level, they will likely need a centre forward who is capable of at least doubling that tally.
