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ChelseaSummary
Generated byChelsea enter the new Premier League season with fresh momentum after Xabi Alonso marked his first match in the Stamford Bridge dugout with a 3-1 pre-season victory over Real Sociedad. The Spaniard described the occasion as emotional, and the result offered early encouragement as the club begins what many hope will be a more settled era. Morgan Rogers scored on debut, while Joao Pedro netted twice, though the afternoon was not without tension as Enzo Fernandez received a mixed reception from the home crowd, a subplot that will linger given reported Manchester City interest in the Argentina midfielder at a reported £120 million.
The transfer picture around Chelsea reflects a club in transition. Xabi Alonso has moved away from the youth-heavy recruitment model of recent years, bringing in experienced figures like Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. At the same time, Liam Delap, who scored just twice last season, has been made available for £50 million, with Everton, Nottingham Forest and Como among those circling. Benoit Badiashile is also attracting interest from Napoli. Defender Wesley Fofana has publicly called for stability, a sentiment that captures the mood at a club that has cycled through managers and squad overhauls at a relentless pace.
With the Premier League yet to begin, Chelsea sit sixth in the early standings with no points played. Their first competitive test arrives on August 24 at Craven Cottage against Fulham, a fixture that will offer the first real measure of where Alonso's side stands.
Chelsea Overview
Standings
Premier League
Premier League| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 |  Brentford | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 5 |  Brighton & Hove Albion | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 6 |  Chelsea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 7 |  Coventry City | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 8 |  Crystal Palace | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Chelsea were founded on March 10, 1905, following Gus Mears' acquisition of the Stamford Bridge in 1904. Several names were put up for consideration: Kensington FC, Stamford Bridge FC, and London FC. However, all these names were rejected and the name Chelsea F.C. was finally selected.
Chelsea are co-owned by an American consortium consisting of Todd Boehly, Mark Walter. Hansjorg Wyss, and Behdad Eghbali-led Clearlake Capital. Boehly, Walter, and Wyss each own a 12.8% stake in the club, while Clearlake Capital are the majority shareholder with a 61.5% stake.
Chelsea's stadium is known as the Stamford Bridge and has been the club's home venue ever since their inception in 1905. Interestingly, the Stamford Bridge was owned by a separate company after businessman Ken Bates bought the club in the 1980s, when they were on the verge of bankruptcy and stuck in the second division. In 1992, however, after a long-fought legal battle and a 'Save The Bridge' campaign from the fans, Chelsea regained ownership of the stadium.
The Stamford Bridge has a capacity of around 40,000.
Chelsea have won an impressive 32 trophies throughout their history, including two Champions League titles and six English top-flight titles.
Chelsea have won the English top flight on six occasions, with their most recent title coming at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Legendary defender Ron Harris holds the record for making the most appearances for Chelsea, featuring for the club in 795 games, ahead of Peter Bonetti and John Terry. The latter two are the only other players along with Harris to make over 700 appearances for the club.
Frank Lampard, arguably the greatest Chelsea player ever, is the club's leading goalscorer of all-time, netting the ball into the net 211 times in 648 games. The fact that he was a midfielder makes the feat all the more impressive.
Didier Drogba, John Terry, Eden Hazard, Claude Makelele, Arjen Robben, Petr Cech, Michael Ballack, and David Luiz are some of the most famous players to have represented Chelsea.
Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti, and Maurizio Sarri are among the biggest managerial names to have been a part of Chelsea's eminent history.
Chelsea are called The Blues, which is a reference to the colour of their kit since the early 20th century.