Chelsea have named their first starting XI for the 2024/25 Premier League season as the Blues prepare to face Manchester City.
Enzo Maresca’s first team sheet has caused a stir with none of Chelsea’s nine summer signings included.
The West Londoners have again been among the most active teams in Europe in the transfer market but there are no debutants in the starting side for this afternoon’s fixture.
Six of the summer signings are named on the bench, including Tosin Adarabioyo, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Wesley Fofana makes his first appearance since May 2023, while Romeo Lavia – restricted to just 32 league minutes in 2023/24 – starts after an injury-hit debut season at Stamford Bridge.
There’s no place in the squad for Trevoh Chalobah, Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell or Raheem Sterling with the English quartet all linked with moves away.
Chelsea’s starting XI is also the second-youngest a Premier League team has fielded on the opening weekend of a season. Maresca’s team has an average age of just 23 years and 180 days, behind only the Manchester City team that started at Aston Villa in 2008/09 (22 years and 360 days).
Enzo Fernandez captains the side in the absence of the injured Reece James, despite the racism controversy that surrounded the Argentina midfielder following his nation’s Copa America win in the summer.
