NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Chelsea take on defending champions Manchester City in a big opening weekend of the Premier League with some of their new stars waiting to make their debuts.
It was another summer of renewal at Stamford Bridge with Enzo Maresca on the bench with 10 new signings arriving in a tense dressing room.
Pedro Neto will be hoping to make his debut for the club following his £54m arrival from Wolves with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, former of Maresca’s stars at Leicester, also to make his competitive bow.
The Blues have an excellent fitness record, but Reece James will miss the opening match with a four-match suspension carried over from last season, having been sent off in Chelsea’s penultimate game of the season against Brighton.
James will miss the first 3 games of the season due to the suspension, but is also dealing with a new hamstring injury that could delay his return.
Conor Gallagher captained the Blues in James’ absence last season but may have played his last game for the club as he has been ordered to train with the under-21s while his plan to move to Atletico Madrid hangs in the balance. .
Maresca showed on Friday that the midfielder would not be there this weekend for a change.
Nicolas Jackson played his first minutes of pre-season against Inter Milan last Sunday after suffering ankle problems while on duty abroad with Senegal this summer.
Axel Disasi was also among the substitutes again that day, while Wesley Fofana made his first appearance in more than a year.
Meanwhile, Manchester City will be without Rodri for his first game. The midfielder enjoyed an extended summer break after Spain’s good luck at Euro 2024.
Despite returning to Manchester this week, he has yet to return to training, with Pep Guardiola revealing on Friday that he had “no chance” of betting on west London.
There was another blow this week with the news that Oscar Bobb is expected to be sidelined for 3 to 4 months, having surgery for a leg injury this week.
John Stones, Kyle Walker and Phil Foden also missed the Community Shield clash against Manchester United, all three returned this week and are in contention.
Sanchez, Gusto, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Mudryk, Jackson
Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, from Bruyne; Silva, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Chelsea vs Man City will start at 4:30 p. m. on Sunday, August 18.
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