The first Premier League match of the Xabi Alonso era takes place this weekend.
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-REAL SOCIEDAD
Xabi Alonso is set to get his Chelsea career underway this weekend (Image: Getty)
After a promising start in the first half of the season, Chelsea’s campaign last year went off the rails following the departure of Enzo Maresca, with the Blues ultimately missing out on European football altogether. In came Xabi Alonso as the latest manager to try and fix Chelsea’s problems, with optimism having been restored ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Alonso will have the benefit of one game per week to work closely with his players and try to drag Chelsea back towards the top of the table. It begins this weekend with a west London derby against Fulham, and ahead of the season opener, Express Sport have picked out the most likely Chelsea starting XI for the clash.
It’s perhaps a surprise that Chelsea haven’t been more active in trying to sign a new goalkeeper this summer. Robert Sanchez was responsible for some high-profile errors last season and even spent a chunk of time out of the team. Alas, he remains the club’s starting goalkeeper and will assume his position between the sticks this weekend.
On paper, that’s a very solid defence for the two-time European champions. The only concern is whether they’ll be able to stay fit for the majority of the campaign. Reece James is chief among them, but he has improved on the fitness front in recent years, and should make up part of a back three including Levi Colwill, who is set for a return following a lengthy injury. Maxence Lacroix is a solid pick-up from Crystal Palace, and is the sort of transfer that has people tipping Chelsea for a successful season.
Chelsea v Real Sociedad - Pre-Season Friendly
Enzo Fernandez was booed by sections of the Chelsea crowd (Image: Getty)
All eyes will be on what Alonso decides to do with Enzo Fernandez. The midfielder has been linked with a move away from Chelsea and was booed by the Stamford Bridge faithful during the club’s final pre-season friendly last weekend. There can be no doubt that - if fit - Moises Caicedo will be one of the first names on the teamsheet, with the Ecuadorian having emerged as one of the best midfielders in the league. Elsewhere, Jorrel Hato will likely take up the reins left behind by Marc Cucurella at left wing-back, while Pedro Neto is the most likely pick on the right.
The marquee signing for Chelsea this season is, of course, Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. The club smashed their transfer record for the England international, and if this predicted XI comes true, he’ll be the third £100m+ player in the line-up. Cole Palmer needs a big season after being left out of the World Cup squad, while Joao Pedro is also keen to impress following his omission from Brazil’s team.