Chelsea fans who flocked to Stamford Bridge felt a heady mix of excitement and expectation as the Blues made their long-awaited return to action, and they were not disappointed.
In what was the club’s first pre-season friendly following their Club World Cup triumph just weeks ago, Enzo Maresca’s side delivered a polished, energetic performance to dispatch a largely underwhelming Bayer Leverkusen 2–0.
From the opening whistle, it was evident that both the players and the stands had caught the fever of Chelsea’s recent success. Despite limited training time—a mere four days at Cobham—the team moved with intent and cohesion, sweeping into early attacks, probing Leverkusen’s backline with sharp passing and movement.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute when Brazilian youngster Estêvão, making his first appearance at Stamford Bridge, demonstrated why he is one of the most exciting talents to arrive in west London.
Cole Palmer’s chipped effort off the crossbar found Estêvão lurking on the edge of the six-yard box, and with remarkable composure, he volleyed home to break the deadlock.
The stadium erupted in cheers—few among the 30,000 in attendance seemed more elated than the Brazilian himself, whose first goal for Chelsea could scarcely have come in more electrifying fashion.
Chelsea’s dominance in the first half was unmistakable. The Blues maintained over two-thirds possession and mustered numerous opportunities, forcing Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken into several routine saves, mostly from long-range efforts by Moisés Caicedo and Liam Delap.
Leverkusen seldom looked like stumbling into Chelsea’s half, and when they did, Jørgensen, making light work of Alex Grimaldo’s free-kicks, remained unflappable.
At halftime, Maresca rotated heavily—no fewer than ten outfield players—including the likes of Jorrel Hato, Dário Essugo, Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens, and João Pedro were introduced to freshen up the midfield and forward lines.
The substitutions did slow the tempo slightly, yet the Blues largely held sway, controlling shape and rhythm against a Leverkusen side that appeared sluggish under the new stewardship of Erik ten Hag.
Among the newcomers, 18-year-old Jamie Gittens stood out. The winger’s directness and energy on the left provided a spark, and he nearly set up Estêvão—now operating from a No. 10 role—with a fine cutback that flashed just wide. Maresca’s willingness to integrate his younger assets so seamlessly bodes well for the season ahead.
Despite the flow being less rhythmic in the second half, the cumulative pressure never waned. A thunderous drive by João Pedro forced Flekken into a fine save, and Neto likewise saw an effort palmed away before he could convert.
Then, just as it seemed the match might end narrowly, Chelsea found their second goal in the dying seconds. A slick build-up saw Genesis Antwi break free down the right and deliver a crisp cut-back to João Pedro, who took a touch and drilled the ball into the bottom corner—the perfect finish to a polished evening for the Blues.