Liverpool manager Arne Slot and former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale have both similar predictions about the upward process that Chelsea is under Enzo Maresca
In the coming season, Chelsea must be considered real contenders for the Premier League title after winning the club World Cup. The blues defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final to bank £ 97 million in prize money and send a message to their rivals, with Gareth Bale among those to sing their praise.
Cole Palmer scored twice and founded a new signature Joao Pedro to score the other in a stunning first half of Blitz of the Champions League winners. The side of Enzo Maresca finished fourth in the Premier League last season before won the Conference League and Club World Cup.
They have strengthened their attack with the signing sessions of Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian this summer. And after completing the 2024/25 campaign strong by winning 13 of their last 15 games and lifting two trophies, they must be taken seriously, according to the former star Bale Tottenham and Real Madrid.
“I don't think they are far away,” Bale said on Dazn after their success in New Jersey. “Last season they came around Christmas, and everyone talked about being contenders. Of course they are a young team, and they fell off a bit, but I think they will learn a lot from it.
“They have shown character as a team to come back and win the Conference League, and now to win. I think trust will bloom and they will now have that self -belief.”
His opinion is shared by Liverpool boss Arne Slot, who spoke about their potential after his side was beaten 3-1 in May by Chelsea. “I expected that they would be a threat this season because they were better than we were at Anfield,” Slot admitted. “They were so close to us. It was a complete surprise for me that we are now 19 points of them or something.
“I didn't feel that at all when we played them. That tells you how well we did it, probably, if a team like this with so much quality, and not only in the first XI, but in the complete team, that we can be 19 points for them, there is a big compliment for our players.”
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has put Chelsea's Premier League rivals on notification. Asked if they can win the Premier League of Champions League in 2025/26, Colwill replied: “Yes, sure.”
He added: “At the start of this tournament, I said that our plan is to win it and people looked at me as if I was crazy. So I am going to say exactly the same that the Premier League and Champions League now entered.
“This is the biggest trophy I have ever won. I think the Club World Cup will be larger than the Champions League and we were the first team to win.
“It was a statement victory and in the future, if we continue to win trophies, everyone will give us the love we deserve. But we will only know that in the future. I think we will be ready and we will see next season.”