As a Chelsea fan, it can be rather odd not seeing the Blues in European action this season, especially in the modern era. Of course, the last time the club were not in continental competition, the team went on to win the Premier League title in Antonio Conte’s first season at Stamford Bridge.

Now, those that are looking at the latest sport betting odds will know that this is something that is very unlikely to happen under Mauricio Pochettino, but Blues fans can hope, right? The odds have them listed at 33/1, with five other teams in font of them as the most likely to be crowned PL champions.

With Chelsea out of European competition, this year feels like an opportunity to look back at how the club has performed in previous editions of the various tournaments played in their history. There are numerous moments which are etched into the memories of supporters forever. At the same time, though, there are moments that may have been forgotten about, too, such as dramatic meetings.

UEFA Champions League Memorable Moments

Starting with the biggest competition, Chelsea have a ton of memorable and dramatic moments to have happened in the UEFA Champions League.

Everyone connected and associated with the club will remember the successes that were enjoyed in 2012 (Bayern Munich) and 2021 (Manchester City), while others may remember the goal scored by Fernando Torres against Barcelona to get the club to the final against Bayern Munich.

Unfortunately, everyone will also remember the 2008 final in Moscow that ended in heartbreak after the Blues lost in an extremely wet penalty shootout.

However, there may be other moments that can often be forgotten that were incredibly dramatic. Many of these have come against Barcelona, with the two clubs appearing to have formed a hugely competitive rivalry between each other over the years. The game in 2009 was memorable for being “a disgrace” (as Didier Drogba put it), while there were other moments that were incredibly upsetting. Ronaldinho managed to score an incredible goal that ended Chelsea’s hopes of advancing in 2005 at Stamford Bridge.

The route to the final in 2012 was perhaps the most dramatic for the Blues, though. While they coasted largely through the competition in the group stage, they required some inspired performances in the knockout phase. The Round of 16 tie against Napoli required the club to bounce back from a 3-1 deficit from the first leg and managed to record a 4-1 victory after extra time. The semifinal against Barcelona in which Torres was also part of the same competition, thus making it even more dramatic.

UEFA Europa League

The Blues may have had a disastrous record in the UEFA Cup during the 2000s, but they did win UEFA Europa League on the two occasions they have been in it since. They defeated Benfica 2-1 in the 2012/13 final before dispatching Arsenal 4-1 in the 2018/19 final.

Chelsea’s first title came after a disappointing UCL defence of their title, as they finished third in their Group. The 2018/19 tournament was a little more interesting in terms of memorable moments, with the club easing their way to the semifinals before really being tested.

The semifinal, though, also proved to be dramatic as it required the Blues to beat Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties. Kepa Arrizabalaga came up trumps on the night as he managed to save two attempts from the Bundesliga’s players.

More memorable and dramatic European adventures to come?

In recent seasons, it would seem that drama can follow Chelsea around as they look to find their identity again. The biggest question will be regarding how quickly they can return to their place?

The season’s start hasn’t been too good in the Premier League, with only one victory in the first 4 rounds. However, while there might be some concern regarding what the immediate future may look like, it would not be a surprise if there were more European adventures across the UCL and the UEL (and maybe even the UEFA Europa Conference League) in the future.

The Blues have a squad that is far too talented, despite perhaps being inexperienced, and with youth on their side, and a manager of Pochettino’s quality on board, there is no reason to think it could be any longer than a few years before we are jumping on flights and playing across the continent for the biggest honors again.

If straws are there to be clutched, then grab hold of them with both hands. Never be ashamed of trying to take positives even when the odds appear stacked against you.

The last year or so may not have been among the most glittering of periods for Chelsea Football Club – far from it – but there is always the promise of light at the end of the tunnel.

Eventually, the £1 billion spending spree that has generated so many unfortunate headlines will start to see a return and collective fortunes will head in a more favourable direction.

Epic

Despite a difficult start to the season, Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea are aiming big 🔵 pic.twitter.com/xtDzX4Qoks

— Premier League (@premierleague) September 11, 2023

It may seem like an epic project right now, but the groundwork is being put in place. There remains plenty of talent at Stamford Bridge, even if Premier League winner odds that have the Blues priced at 33/1 for a first crown since 2017 may not reflect that.

More favour can be found within football tips, with prices regarding top-four finishes and potential cup success considerably shorter than those focused on the battle for ultimate supremacy in the English top flight.

It is here where Chelsea may truly prosper, especially as they have few midweek distractions to contend with.

It goes without saying that everybody in the blue quarter of west London would prefer to be competing on a European stage in 2023-24 – allowing bids to be launched for more Champions League and Europa League titles, or even a first Europa Conference League crown.

That is not the case and the best must be made of an unfortunate situation.

Chelsea have considerably fewer games on their schedule this season, and that should help to keep players fresh. They also have no Wednesday or Thursday nights to far-flung outposts of the continent with which to concern themselves.

Rest and rotation always had to be factored in when returning to Premier League action from midweek journeys beyond English shores.

Now, Mauricio Pochettino should – at least in theory – be in a position to name his strongest and most settled side whenever precious points come up for grabs. There is always plenty to be said for stability and continuity.

The man calling the shots has been eager to point out that he is starting out down a long and winding road at Chelsea, with the Blues’ Argentine head coach saying shortly after inheriting the reins: “We are building something special. It’s a process and we need time. But in football you cannot ask for time and you need to deliver now.”

Message

'It’s a culture of winning here. We want to bring the happiness again to this great football club.' 🙌

Part one of our exclusive interview with Mauricio Pochettino! pic.twitter.com/rmWnGn3ARY

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 3, 2023

Pochettino finds himself occupying the warmest of hot seats, one that saw three occupants come and go in the space of just one season last term. If he wants to get comfortable, then positive results are a must.

There are plenty of fresh faces to bed in and a favoured tactical message to get across. Those processes take time and the South American is right to ask for patience.

With so much to do in the immediate present and short-term future, it may end up being a blessing that collective focus at Stamford Bridge is being narrowed on purely domestic competition.

With football being the biggest sport in the world, many professional athletes who are now retired and have money to spare decided to make a strategic investment. 

NFL legend Tom Brady, for example, decided to invest in Championship team Birmingham City. And this is not just athletes, we’ve seen many celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhanney investing in football, with their Wrexham AFC project, which already saw them being promoted to League Two. 

Before Brady, however, NFL star JJ Watt was one of the pioneers of this trend, investing with his wife to become partial owners of Burnley F.C. And one season was enough for Watt to see the Clarets being promoted to the Premier League, with former Manchester City coach Vincent Kompany at the helm.

Who would thought NFL stars would be interested in European football? It seems like now that he is retired he has more time to scout for the perfect investment and being an athletic spirit, of course, he invests in another sport.

So, what’s up with all the investments, and why suddenly everyone is interested in owning a football team?

Well, it is probably a good investment for making money since football (the non-American one) is the number one sport in the world in terms of fans, and it is growing every year. It is definitely not about passion for the teams, since most of these investors are not that familiar with football.

What you probably would not guess is that despite investing in Burnley, Watt has actually confessed in the past to be a Chelsea fan.

JJ Watt and His Wife Investing in Burnley F.C

It wasn’t too far ago that defensive end JJ Watt was leading the NFL odds for Defensive Player Of The Year, an award he received three times throughout his career. 

Now the retired NFL legend, and his wife, Kealia Watt, a star in the NWSL, have stepped into the world of football (or soccer) with a savvy move. They’ve snagged a minority ownership stake in the current Championship winners, Burnley FC. It is important to note that when Watt took the initiative to invest in the Clarets they had been relegated and were not in the Premier League as they are now. 

Now, they’ve been pretty hush-hush about the nitty-gritty of their investment, but here’s the backstory. Not too long ago, in 2020, an American investment firm called Alk Capital boldly splashed out around £200 million (that’s a cool $250 million) to grab the reins of Burnley FC.

So, what’s Burnley FC’s story? Well, they faced a bit of a rough patch in 2022, getting relegated to the EFL Championship. But, don’t count them out just yet—they hustled hard and secured their ticket back to the Premier League for the upcoming season in April.

Kealia Watt, you might know her from her time with the UWSNT and as a current free agent in the NWSL, is all set to play a key role in nurturing and expanding Burnley FC’s women’s team. It’s a testament to her dedication to the beautiful game.

Now, beyond their bold move in English football, the Watts are making waves in the real estate world. They’ve recently dropped a cool $7 million on a stunning mansion tucked away in the scenic city of Phoenix, Arizona. 

This comes right after JJ Watt hung up his NFL boots, capping off a remarkable career that bagged him three NFL Defensive Player of the Year titles and solidified his place as a future Hall of Famer.

But what’s the deal with Chelsea?

Is JJ Watt a Chelsea Fan?

As Watt gears up for his inaugural full season as an investor in Burnley, he’s preparing to face a club that holds a special place in his heart—Chelsea. 

In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Watt openly shared his affection for the Blues, a team he’s supported in the past. There’s no hiding it; he’s a true Chelsea fan through and through.

“I was a big, big Didier Drogba fan from his Ivory Coast days so I followed along with Chelsea. I do not hide it and I am sure people are going to send photos of me holding up a Chelsea kit.”

“They can also show photos of me holding up a Manchester City kit because Sergio Aguero is my friend or a Tottenham Hotspur kit because Harry Kane is my friend. These things are going to be out there and that is fine but the reality is that Burnley is the right club for us because there is an opportunity to come in and make a difference.”

But this doesn’t mean a lot for his Burnley F.C. investment. After all, he is a true athlete who values all sports. He even stated that helping a football team like Burnley FC would make him feel very happy, no matter which team he supports.

He might be a Chelsea fan, but there is a good chance that he will turn to Burnley F.C. quickly this season, especially when they play against Chelsea. After all, it is all about money and passion for the sport, and when you are the owner of a team that is playing, you don’t care who you supported in the past.

JJ Watt also pointed out that he and his wife are minority investors and there are a lot of “majority investors” or decision makers that are in charge of Burnley F.C. Their goal as minority investors is to talk about the team, tell the story about Burnley F.C and make them feel seen on the global scene.

Even though Burnley F.C. got promoted to the Premier League they have a lot on their shoulders that they need to prove. The start of this year’s season isn’t the best since they already played three matches and lost all of them and their rivals got a head start. 

Burnley hosts the Blues on October 7th at Turf Moor and we can imagine Watt’s heart will be divided. May the best team win and hopefully that team will be Chelsea. Sorry JJ!

Last season has to go down as one of the worst in Chelsea’s history. The club went through three managers (four if you include Bruno Saltor who took charge for one game against Liverpool) and earned just 44 points – their lowest in the top flight since they were relegated in 1988. And a 12th place finish means there will be no European football at Stamford Bridge this season.

So, when they signed off a disappointing year with a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle, you’d have been forgiven for thinking there was little optimism around the club for the following season. And you certainly wouldn’t have expected Chelsea to be prominent in Premier League betting markets.

But after a summer of change, there appears to be a mood of quiet optimism around the place. Some of the old guard have been moved on, with the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic finding new clubs. And several new players have joined, most of whom for eye-watering transfer fees, too.

And the new owners have brought in ex-Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino to oversee their project. Poch certainly feels more like a project manager than some of the win-now bosses such as Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti who were brought in by Roman Abramovich. But after spending almost £286 million on new players this summer, what will be considered a successful first season for the new Chelsea manager?

For all that they’ve spent this summer, it does appear the Chelsea hierarchy are looking at a long-term project under Pochettino. Young players have been signed on seven and eight-year contracts, indicating the club intends them to either stay in West London for a long time or move on for huge transfer fees which will allow for more investment in the team.

It was an avenue they seemed to be exploring when Graham Potter was appointed on a 5-year deal in September last year. But after just 11 wins in 31 games at Chelsea, his tenure was brought to an end.

While only appointed on a 2-year deal, Pochettino brings a wealth of experience to the job, including a 54.27% win rate at Tottenham where he consistently achieved top four finishes. Much has been made of Spurs’ lack of trophies during the Pochettino era, but he did take the club to their first ever Champions League final as well as the League Cup Final in 2015.

In 2016, Tottenham came as close as they ever had to winning the Premier League before, ironically, drawing with Chelsea on a famous night at the Bridge to hand the title to Leicester.

Perhaps more importantly for Chelsea fans, though, is the intense high-pressing style he adopted at Spurs (and at Southampton before that) which has been proven to work in the Premier League.

Chelsea are unlikely to win the Premier League this season. But for fans and owners alike, a top four finish must be the expectation. Winning a trophy would be the icing on the cake. But Chelsea is a club that believes it deserves to dine at Europe’s top table and anything less than Champions League qualification will be deemed unsuccessful for Pochettino in his first year at the club.

Chelsea’s last season campaign was an underwhelming one that saw the Stamford Bridge outfit have three managers take charge of affairs, but none of them could salvage the situation. Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as the new manager was a breath of fresh air to a squad short on confidence and who cut frustrated figures in the last games of the last campaign. Pochettino seems to have his work cut out already, but we all wait and see if the Argentine tactician has what it takes to carry the Blues back to their Glory days.

August 2023 Fixtures

Chelsea has three fixtures in August to mark the start of the new campaign. These are two home games with Liverpool and Luton and one away fixture with West Ham. You can place your bets on these and other games on https://gg.bet/en and experience sports betting like never before.

Chelsea Vs. Liverpool

The Blues begin the new campaign on Sunday, August 13th, by welcoming Liverpool to Stamford Bridge. This mouth-watering clash wouldn’t be Pochettino’s first game choice as a new manager and will be a big test for Chelsea to prove that they can still be counted among the best in English football.

Jurgen Klopp’s side won’t be an easy opponent as they too have something to prove, and it will be a thrilling battle that we all can’t wait for. The winner will walk away with the much-needed confidence boost required in the Premier League. Will Chelsea come on top? We will have to wait for this one out.

West Ham VS Chelsea

The next fixture will be a visit to London Stadium. This London Derby is another tough fixture that Chelsea will have to dig deep into if they are to come out of it with something. David Moyes’s side showed their quality in the last campaign, both in the Premier League and Europe, going ahead to bag the Europa Conference League trophy. They ended the season high on confidence, but will they bring that to the new season?

There has been some unease with the West Ham faithful over the lack of activity on the transfer market, especially after losing Declan Rice to Arsenal in a club-record deal. But regardless of the happenings off the pitch, and this being an away derby, Chelsea have to be ready to fight it out if they are to walk away with the three points.

Chelsea vs Luton

Chelsea’s third and final fixture in August will be at home to newly promoted Luton. Luton showed what they are made of in the style and manner in which they earned their promotion to the Premier League, and they will be a force to reckon with in this campaign. Of the three August fixtures, these appear to be the easiest for Chelsea, but as the saying goes, there is no easy game in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s Squad for the 2023/2024 Season

Amid a huge clearout at Stamford Bridge, with up to 7 players moving to other clubs, the club has made some signings and will look to make some additions before the end of the transfer window. Below are the players currently making up the Chelsea squad for the 2023/2024 campaign.

Goalkeepers

• Marcus Bettinelli
• Kepa
• Robert Sanchez
• Gabriel Slonina

Defenders

• Trevoh Chalobah
• Ben Chilwell
• Levi Colwill
• Cucurella
• Axel Disasi
• Wesley Fofana
• Malo Gusto
• Reece James
• Malang Sarr
• Thiago Silva

Midfielders

• Andrey Santos
• Carney Chukwuemeka
• Enzo Fernandez
• Conor Gallagher
• Lewis Hall
• Mykhaylo Mudryk
• Lesley Ugochukwu

Forwards

• Ângelo
• Armando Broja
• Diego Moreira
• Callum Hudson-Odoi
• Nicolas Jackson
• Romelu Lukaku
• Noni Madueke
• Christopher Nkunku
• Raheem Sterling
• Hakim Ziyech

Chelsea will head into the 2023/24 season with one primary objective – to force their way back into the top four in the Premier League.

The Blues finished 12th last term to miss out on European qualification, but they head into the new campaign with renewed optimism after a positive summer.

Chelsea have shipped out plenty of deadwood while bringing in some quality new signings to work under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Finishing in the top four will be the minimum requirement next season, so let’s take a closer look at how the battle is likely to shape up.

Man City fancied to make it four-in-a-row

Manchester City are aiming to win the title for the fourth successive year and rated as odds-on favourites by Betway to get the job done.

Even if the bookmakers have called this one wrong, it is impossible to imagine Man City not finishing somewhere inside the top four.

Pep Guardiola has built a formidable squad at the Etihad Stadium and their experience of winning silverware will stand them in good stead next term.

While Man City are impossible to oppose in the outright betting market, which team will be their closest challengers is less clear.

Arsenal expecting to close the gap on City

Arsenal were in the title conversation for most of last season, but they were overhauled by Guardiola’s relentless City machine on the run-in.

The Gunners ended the campaign five points adrift of the champions and will expect to finish closer this time around.

However, with question marks hanging over their summer transfer business, it would be foolish to overestimate Arsenal’s chances of toppling City.

The odds suggest they should finish in the top four, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility for them to suffer a drop in performances this season.

Northern big guns will be troublesome

Manchester United were much-improved under manager Erik ten Hag last season and could be a good bet to emerge as Man City’s main challengers.

They have improved their squad this summer and should be firmly entrenched in the top four as the season progresses.

Liverpool will also expect to be in the mix after finishing fifth last season and may well be Chelsea’s main obstacle to getting back into the top four.

Newcastle United are another team who could be in contention, although they may find it tough to replicate last season’s third place this time around.

Top four return is on the cards for Chelsea

With no European football to distract them, Chelsea can fully focus their efforts on bagging a top four spot in the Premier League.

Man City look guaranteed to maintain their status at the top, while Man United are a good bet to make further progress under Ten Hag.

Arsenal and Liverpool should also be in contention and we anticipate that Jurgen Klopp’s side will be the biggest barrier to Chelsea’s hopes.

The Blues undoubtedly have a squad capable of finishing in the top four and they are fancied to get over the line, albeit narrowly ahead of Liverpool.

When taking into account the calibre of striking talent that Chelsea have had on their books in recent times, the art of hitting the back of the net should have been made to look so difficult. The Blues have rarely been short on goals as a collective, but those who are in the team specifically to provide the end product in the final third have not always lived up to expectations.

Big money has been invested in that department, but little return has been offered by supposedly international-class performers that proved elsewhere that they do know where the back of the net is. A new low was hit in 2022-23, with three different managers failing to get a tune out of the attacking orchestra at Stamford Bridge. Just 38 goals were recorded in as many Premier League fixtures. Said struggles contributed significantly to the Blues limping their way to a 12th-place finish, with European qualification falling a long way out of reach.

Mauricio Pochettino has been drafted in as coach – with prior experience of life in England from spells at Southampton and Tottenham – and charged with the task of delivering a reversal in fortune. Pochettino was considered to be the pick of available bosses, following much consideration, but clearly has a sizeable task on his hands in west London.

Magic

The curse of Chelsea’s No. 9 shirt continues 👻 pic.twitter.com/DnmZQZzumX

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 21, 2022

There’s no magic wand to wave at Chelsea, having become stuck in a serious rut, and the betting operators in the UK aren’t convinced that a corner will be turned. The Blues are priced at 13/10 by Bzeebet to finish above Liverpool next term, while Spread Ex Sports have them at 13/8 for a top-four finish and 1/2 to end up inside the top six.

When it comes to goal scoring, Luckster prices the 2021 Champions League winners at 149/10 to better the output of every divisional rival in the English top tier. That isn’t a chart that the Blues have grown accustomed to topping down the years. Efforts are, however, been made to ensure that there is plenty of firepower at Pochettino’s disposal – with it possible that the most famous of striking jerseys will once again come up for grabs this summer.

The No.9 shirt is synonymous with fearsome frontmen, but it has weighed heavy on many at the Bridge. Thomas Tuchel said of that shirt during his tenure: “It’s cursed, it’s cursed, people tell me it’s cursed. There was not a big demand for No 9. Players sometimes want to change numbers but, surprisingly, nobody wants to touch it.”

That stance isn’t all that surprising given how those filling said spot in the Chelsea squad have fared of late. From Chris Sutton to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang via Mateja Kezman, Franco Di Santo, Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain and Romelu Lukaku, the No.9 shirt has not been kind to its many inhabitants.

Confusing

Nothing but net from Diego Costa! 🥅

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 15, 2021

Maybe there’s substance to the ‘curse’ talk, with there clearly something holding Chelsea back. To have such pedigree at your disposal and do relatively little with is as frustrating as it’s confusing. None of those mentioned above was able to reach the fabled 20-goal mark in Premier League competition when donning a famous blue kit. In fact, nobody has hit that target in the last six seasons – why really is far too long?

Enigmatic Spain international Diego Costa, who has since admitted that he was “wrong going to Chelsea”, was the last man to reach 20 efforts in the English top flight. He did so back in the 2016-17 campaign – a season in which Antonio Conte delivered the club’s last Premier League title.

Proven performers have come and gone since then, with an eye-watering amount of money spent, but nobody has been able to perform at the level that’s expected from those charged with the task of leading any given line. Will that situation change any time soon? More funds are being thrown at the most glaring of problems, but that approach has backfired before – on several occasions.

Chelsea is looking for another Costa, another Didier Drogba, even another Frank Lampard to hit 20 goals from a deep-lying berth, but whether they can tick that box and whether anybody wants to take on the No.9 shirt – remains to be seen.