{"id":16609,"date":"2026-07-12T07:56:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16609"},"modified":"2026-07-12T07:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T07:56:36","slug":"barcelona-may-have-just-done-chelsea-a-favour-ahead-of-first-premier-league-game-vs-fulham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16609","title":{"rendered":"Barcelona may have just done Chelsea a favour ahead of first Premier League game vs Fulham"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"\/ Add as preferred source on Google<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Chelsea start their Premier League season with a heated West London rivalry against Fulham, and they may now be far more up to speed than their opponents.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Xabi Alonso\u2019s pre-season training has already gotten underway, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian spotted in action.<\/p>\n

\n

It will be an important couple of weeks for those players looking to prove a point to Alonso before they fly off for pre-season, starting in Australia.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/header>\n
\n
\n
\n

Chelsea fans, share your expectations for Xabi Alonso! \ud83c\udfc6<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Xabi<\/div>
Credit: Alexander Hassenstein\/Getty<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Barcelona cancel pre-season friendly with Chelsea\u2019s opening day opponents<\/h2>\n

The Blues will take on Western Sydney Warriors, before games against Tottenham, Juventus, AC Milan, and Johor Darul Ta\u2019z across the world before the league season gets underway.<\/p>\n

Fulham on the other hand were set to take on Barcelona in their pre-season campaign, however according to Mundo Deportivo, that fixture has now been cancelled.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Real<\/div>
Photo by M Gracia Jimenez\/Soccrates\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This comes after the Premier League side decided to hire Alvaro Arbeloa as their new manager, with his links to Real Madrid very obvious.<\/p>\n

Arbeloa replaced Alonso in the role of Madrid manager last season, adding an extra element of spice to their opening game of the season.<\/p>\n

A strong start to the season is essential for the Blues, given that fan feeling around the club is at a low after their mid-table finish last season.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/header>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Santos is one of Chelsea\u2019s most-underrated players \ud83e\udde9<\/h3>\n

Man United and Newcastle are interested.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

With no European football to contend with, Chelsea are hopeful that they will hold an advantage over some of their top Premier League rivals next season.<\/p>\n

The hope will be that those who are still at the World Cup are going to be fit and firing by the time the domestic season gets underway.<\/p>\n

Reece James is one of those still at the tournament, and it remains to be seen whether Enzo Fernandez will still be at the club.<\/p>\n

The Argentine is currently being priced out of his dream move to Real Madrid, with that saga set to run into the latter stages of the window.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
<\/svg><\/p>\n
Join Our Newsletter<\/span><\/p>\n

Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n