Chelsea had a resurgence at the end of last season when they won all the Premier League in May, but that was not enough for coach Mauricio Pochettino to keep his position at Stamford Bridge.
The decision was made at the end of the season that the Argentine coach would leave, making way for Enzo Maresca - Pep Guardiola's former assistant at Man City. He becomes the fourth head coach since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club in May 2022.
The Blues leadership continues to spend heavily in the 2024 summer transfer market and has recruited 10 players for more than 150 million pounds. From the beginning, the pressure was huge and meeting defending champion Man City in round 1 will bring a difficult test for Maresca teachers and students.
On the other side, Man City is still the most formidable team in the Premier League after winning the tournament for the fourth consecutive time. The Citizens won 91 points and lost just three times last season, extending their dominant streak at the top of English football.
Similar to Chelsea, Man City was not at their best in pre-season. However, they just got another boost from the English Super Cup title against Man United last week.
In the past, Pep Guardiola and his team have not lost in the last 6 times they met Chelsea. With a formidable squad, especially in attack, Man City will be rated higher in this competition.
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