Chelsea’s 2025–26 Premier League campaign got underway with a frustrating sputter on Sunday, as the FIFA Club World Cup champions were held to a goalless 0-0 draw by a resilient Crystal Palace side at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues, who handed starts to new signings João Pedro and Jamie Gittens, struggled to break down their well-organised London rivals and lacked the cohesion and cutting edge needed to secure an opening day victory.
The most dramatic moment of the match came in the first half when Crystal Palace’s star playmaker, Eberechi Eze, appeared to have scored a sensational opening goal with a thunderous 20-yard free-kick that burst through the hands of goalkeeper Robert Sánchez. However, to the relief of the home crowd, the goal was controversially ruled out. A little-known rule was infringed by Palace defender Marc Guéhi, who was deemed to have illegally interfered with the defensive wall.
The disallowed goal was a huge let-off for Chelsea, but they failed to capitalize on the momentum shift. Enzo Maresca’s side looked disjointed in attack for large periods of the game, struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.
New signing Estêvão was introduced in the second half and had a big opportunity to open his Chelsea account but couldn’t control his effort. The home side’s frustrating afternoon was perfectly summed up in stoppage time when another substitute, Andrey Santos, blazed a golden chance high over the bar from close range.
Ultimately, it’s a valuable and hard-earned point for Crystal Palace in what could potentially be Eberechi Eze’s final appearance for the club amid intense transfer speculation. For Chelsea, however, it’s a deeply underwhelming start to the season, highlighting that there is still significant work to be done if they are to mount a serious title challenge.