Chelsea Begins Premier League Defense Against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge

LONDON, England – Chelsea FC kicks off its 2025–26 Premier League season against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. The reigning Club World Cup champions are riding high after a successful summer tour in the United States and aim to challenge for the league title.

Under manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea secured their second Club World Cup trophy this summer and finished fourth in the Premier League last season. Their preseason included victories over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan, giving the Blues confidence heading into the match against the Eagles.

Crystal Palace starts the new campaign with momentum after winning the FA Community Shield, edging out Liverpool on penalties. With a mixture of new signings and stay put stars, the Eagles look to upset Chelsea’s ambitions.

Chelsea enters the match without striker Nicolas Jackson, who is suspended following a red card against Newcastle United in May. João Pedro, a summer addition, is expected to lead Chelsea’s attack. Maresca confirmed that Trevoh Chalobah will be available, but Benoît Badiashile, Roméo Lavia, and Levi Colwill will miss the match due to injury.

On the other hand, Crystal Palace is facing uncertainty regarding key players Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, both attracting transfer interest from bigger clubs. However, they are expected to start, with Palace’s head coach Oliver Glasner emphasizing the team’s depth.

The predicted lineup for Chelsea features Sánchez; James, Chalobah, Hato, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Neto, Palmer, Gittens; Pedro. For Crystal Palace, it is likely to be Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Muñoz, Hughes, Wharton, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta.

During their last 16 meetings, Chelsea has dominated, winning 14 times, but Palace held them to two draws last season. The history suggests a challenging match for both teams, with Palace keen to maintain their positive momentum against the world champions.

Kickoff is scheduled for 14:00 BST on Sunday, August 17, 2025.