Chelsea are up and running in the new 2025/26 season after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Brazilian duo Estêvão and Joao Pedro got on the scoresheet as Enzo Maresca handed out minutes to 21 of his first team players.
It was the perfect start to the club's very limited pre-season - with one more match against AC Milan on Sunday before the Premier League season starts up next weekend.
Here are four things we learned from the game:
Full of energy
This was Chelsea’s first pre-season fixture following their Club World Cup victory, so you would be forgiven for thinking **Enzo Maresca**’s squad may lack sharpness or fitness.
The reality was quite the opposite, and the Blues played through Leverkusen with ease and confidence, picking up a comfortable win overall.
As expected, rotation was frequent. Maresca made ten substitutes in total, which included a mix of new signings and youth team players.
The only outfield player to miss out was Enzo Fernandez, though he is expected to feature against AC Milan on Sunday.
It also benefitted some players who were trialled in multiple positions - helping the Chelsea head coach to decide on his best starting lineup for this season.
Is a defensive signing needed?
Many eyes were on the Blues’ defence following the confirmation of Levi Colwill’s ACL tear, which could keep him on the sidelines for an extended period.
Josh Acheampong was named in Colwill’s place - and put on a confident showing, often shifting into the central role in a back three where he was able to dictate play and find passes into midfield.
Primarily a right-back, Acheampong is hoping for more minutes this season under Maresca - who stressed his desire to retain the Cobham graduate, adding that he was ‘in love’ with the player.
Elsewhere, we saw an impressive debut from Jorrell Hato, who was brought on in place of Marc Cucurella in the second half.
Like Cucurella, Hato often provided an extra body in the midfield when inverting, but also looked very sharp with his defensive duties.
The former Ajax defender has been with the Blues for less than a week, and his strong performance will be reassuring for Chelsea fans heading into the new season.
Brazilian brilliance
It felt almost inevitable that new signing Estêvão would score on his Stamford Bridge debut, and whilst it wasn’t the most glamorous of goals, it will give the teenager a world of confidence.
The Brazilian starlet looked right at home in London, amping up the crowd and playing with a smile on his face, which was nice to see.
He was trialled both at right wing and more centrally in the number ten position - with Maresca holding the belief that he can play all across the face of the attack, if necessary.
He will be benefitted by a strong Brazilian core at the club that includes Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos - who both had stand-out performances.
There are still visible signs of improvement with a few nervy moments in the game, but it was a fantastic window to the pure quality that Estêvão can bring to Chelsea.
Out with the old, in with the new
The strong performances of both Estêvão and Joao Pedro could signal more outgoings at the club before the transfer window shuts.
Christopher Nkunku has not been pictured at Chelsea at all this week, with several European clubs signing up for his signature.
The arrival of Estêvão means that Cole Palmer can be tested in attacking midfield, whilst Tyrique George and new signing Jamie Gittens both impressed at left-wing.
As for Nicolas Jackson, a move away may appear confusing given his strong performances at the club over the last few years, though Maresca may be looking at alternative options at the striker spot with Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
Pedro scored late on in this game, making it four goals in his first three starts for Chelsea. Compared to Jackson, he may appear more valuable given his potential to play behind the striker and on the wing if necessary.
In addition, the club can demand a high fee if they decide to let Jackson leave this summer - after seeing the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Victor Gyokeres move to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.
There is still work to be done for Chelsea before the window closes at the end of the month, but many at the club will feel satisfied at how the team is shaping together.