'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAwGEL/8QAHhAAAwABBAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFERITITH/2gAIAQEAAT8A2+7Ltmoi6pZtbZC1ar2efjYkdTlYTarng+yT9z//xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgD/2gAIAQIBAT8AqQkTf//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAEf/aAAgBAwEBPwAdUb//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea icon Petr Cech believes his former club have had a great pre-season this summer. The retired goalkeeper claims that their pre-season form will help them at the start of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
The west London outfit have been undefeated this summer and have secured victories over the likes of Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Wrexham FC. Mauricio Pochettino's side won the Premier League Summer Series and the Florida Cup.
Cech believes the Argentine manager can carry over this form into the start of the new season in the English top tier. The former Chelsea goalkeeper told Sky Sports (via Football Daily):
"Chelsea have had, so far, a very good pre season. They invested in the team, they changed the manager, so they will generally have the highest expectations. And they will want to do much better than [they did] in the last season and they will want to be back in the Champions League and fight for the top places."
He added:
"As I said, one thing is to have a successful pre-season, other thing is to start well and get points in the Premier League. But I think they can be positive going into the first [few] games."
The Blues were in dismal form during the 2022-23 campaign, failing to find any semblance of stability under three different managers. The club finished 12th in the Premier League table, leaving them out of all European competition for this season
"We are building something special" - Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino sends emphatic message ahead of Premier League opener
Chelsea are set to face Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in their first Premier League encounter of the 2023-24 campaign next Sunday (13 August). The Blues will look to turn things around after a disappointing campaign last year that saw them finish outside of the top half of the table.
New manager Mauricio Pochettino has urged the club's fanbase to be patient as he looks to complete a rebuild at the west London outfit. However, the Argentine boss understands that it is difficult to ask for time as a manager in the modern era of football.
He said (as quoted by The Guardian):
“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. We are Chelsea and, even if we have young players involved against Liverpool, the mentality is to win.”
The Blues have brought in a number of players this summer, including the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, who impressed in the pre-season.
