The final four games of the 2024/25 season will determine Chelsea’s fate in their relentless pursuit of a return to the Champions League.
The Blues haven’t featured in Europe’s most prominent tournament since they finished third in 2021/22 under now-England manager Thomas Tuchel.
That burden now rests on Enzo Maresca’s shoulders, but it’s not looking good for the Italian.
Despite riding the highs of a three-match winning streak and a four-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, the Blues are set for a nail-biting finale with four daunting ties on the horizon.
Maresca’s troops are just four points behind third-placed Manchester City, and they have a game in hand.
However, they’re level on points with Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa behind them, with the latter picking up a 1-0 win against Fulham on Saturday.
Chelsea will particularly be hoping for some reprieve after a topsy-turvy campaign.
A top-five finish and a Europa Conference League triumph will be considered a successful season for Maresca, but the upcoming fixtures could decide his fate.
Sunday’s blockbuster battle with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge will attract a huge crowd, but fans will also buy Chelsea vs Manchester United tickets, hoping the Blues can pick up valuable points against the miserable Red Devils.
Here are Chelsea’s remaining fixtures in the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Chelsea vs Liverpool – Matchday 35
Chelsea face a daunting final run of fixtures that kicks off at home against the champions. The Blues will be hoping the Reds are still in party mood when both sides square off at the Bridge.
The Blues have blown hot and cold since the turn of the new year, but they seem to have found some semblance of stability over the last couple of weeks.
They’ve only lost two of their last 13 games across all competitions. Only Arsenal have gotten the better of the Blues in their last eight Premier League games (W5, D2).
Chelsea have won their last two league games in a row and will host the champions on the back of a three-game winning streak across all competitions.
The Blues put one leg in the Conference League final following a thumping 4-1 semi-final first-leg win against Djurgarden in midweek.
Whether that’ll be enough to spur Maresca’s side to a win remains to be seen, but anything other than a win on Sunday will dent their Champions League hopes.
What will worry Chelsea ahead of this Sunday’s blockbuster is their woeful record against the Reds.
The Blues are winless in their last seven meetings with the Reds, losing the last two in a row. Before those consecutive defeats, both sides had settled for a share of the spoils five times in a row.
Chelsea’s last win against Liverpool came in March 2021, but you’d have to go back to May 2018 for the last time the Blues beat their Merseyside counterparts at the Bridge.
Newcastle United vs Chelsea – Matchday 36
After taking on the champions on home turf, Chelsea will head to Tyneside for another tricky Premier League clash against fellow top-five hopefuls Newcastle.
At the moment, only two points separate both sides, but that could change before their top-five six-pointer on matchday 36.
The Magpies have been on a blistering run of form, winning five of their last six league games.
The only dent on that near-perfect run was a thumping 4-1 defeat away to Villa, but they responded with a commanding 3-0 win against relegated Ipswich Town.
Chelsea have won their last two games against Newcastle, but both wins came at the Bridge. That run came after a three-game winless streak against the Magpies (D1, L2).
Newcastle have won their last two home games against Chelsea by a combined scoreline of 5-1. The last time Chelsea left Tyneside with a win was back in October 2021.
With a place in the top five on the line, form and statistics go out the window, but these sides will face off on a level playing field at St. James’ Park.
Chelsea vs Man United – Matchday 37
Chelsea host United on match day 37, hoping to take their bid for Champions League football up a notch.
The Blues faithful haven’t had much to cheer for in the second half of the season, but taking maximum points from a miserable United side will certainly lift their spirits.
That could be the primary reason why Chelsea tickets are selling out fast on Seatsnet.com, but Blues fans will be wise to lower their expectations ahead of the box office showdown.
Chelsea don’t have the best record against United.
Their famous Cole Palmer-inspired 4-3 win during Mauricio Pochettino’s reign was their first against United since November 2017, ending a woeful run of 12 games without a win.
Maresca couldn’t build on that memorable win in the first leg at Old Trafford, with both sides playing out a 1-1 draw, but his team will head into the coming contest as slight favourites.
Contrasting form and league standing play a part, but Chelsea will see this game as a valuable opportunity to tighten their grip on a top-five spot – assuming they’re still in the mix on matchday 37.
Nottingham Forest vs Chelsea – Matchday 38
Chelsea wrap up the campaign away at Forest with a potential Champions League spot up for grabs.
The Tricky Trees have been the surprise package of the season, but they’ve fallen off the wagon in recent games and are seeing their Champions League dreams slip through their fingers.
Forest have come this far, so losing it at the end will be gut-wrenching.
However, they’d have taken European football if it was offered at the start of the season, so this would still be considered a massive success for Nuno Espirito Santo and his troops.
That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t fight tooth and nail to get back into the top five, so matchday 38’s box office showdown will come down to who wants it more.
Chelsea have a decent recent record against Forest, but not enough to suggest that this clash will be a breeze for Maresca’s troops.
Over their last seven meetings, the Tricky Trees have only come out on top once in contrast to Chelsea’s three wins, which is also as many times as both sides have shared the spoils.
Meanwhile, two of Chelsea’s three wins against Forest have come at the City Ground. In fact, you’d have to go back to January 1997 for the last time Forest beat the Blues at their own headquarters.
If they’re going to stand a chance, they’d need to smash that record on the final day, although Chelsea also have work to do, as a draw might not be enough to get them over the line.
