Chelsea vs Crystal Palace: Resumen

Chelsea FC and Crystal Palace FC kicked off their Premier League campaign with a goalless stalemate at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. The much-anticipated London derby failed to produce the fireworks fans had hoped for, with both teams appearing to shake off pre-season rust in their opening fixture of the 2025/26 season.

Under the warm August sun, a capacity crowd at the Bridge witnessed a tactical chess match between new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and Palace's Oliver Glasner, now in his second season with the Eagles. Despite the lack of goals, there were moments of quality from both sides, particularly in defensive organization.

Chelsea's Josh Acheampong, the teenage defender making just his fourth Premier League appearance, was a standout performer, showing maturity beyond his years with several crucial interventions. For Palace, Eberechi Eze continued to demonstrate why he's been the subject of transfer speculation, with his disallowed free-kick in the second half the closest either team came to breaking the deadlock.

The draw sees both teams begin their Premier League campaigns with a point, leaving Chelsea in 7th and Palace in 10th in these very early standings. For Maresca, it represents a solid if unspectacular start to his tenure, while Glasner will be encouraged by his team's resilience away from home against one of last season's top-six finishers.

With the transfer window still open for another two weeks, both managers may feel reinforcements are needed, particularly in attack where both sides lacked the cutting edge to convert possession into clear-cut chances. Chelsea's control of the ball wasn't matched by penetration in the final third, while Palace looked dangerous on the counter but couldn't find the finishing touch when it mattered most.

"We controlled the game for long periods but lacked that final bit of quality in decisive moments. This is just the beginning of our journey together, and I saw many positive signs from the team today," said Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's head coach, reflecting on his Premier League debut in the dugout.

"Josh [Acheampong] showed today why we believe so strongly in him. At 19, to perform with such composure in a Premier League opener speaks volumes about his character and potential."

Cole Palmer, Chelsea's talismanic midfielder, added:

"It's not the start we wanted in terms of the result, but there were good patterns emerging. We've been working hard on a new system under the boss, and you could see elements of that today. The goals will come."

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner expressed satisfaction with his team's defensive solidity:

"To come to Stamford Bridge and keep a clean sheet is always a positive. We were organized, disciplined, and on another day, Ebs [Eze] could have won it for us with that free-kick. There's a lot to build on from this performance."

Eberechi Eze, who received a standing ovation when substituted late in the game, remained focused despite transfer rumors:

"My job is to perform for Crystal Palace, and that's all I'm thinking about. We worked hard today and deserved something from the game. It's a good foundation to build on for the season ahead."

Possession: Chelsea FC 62% - 38% Crystal Palace FC

The home side dominated the ball throughout the encounter, with Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo completing 143 passes between them in the center of the park. However, Palace's compact defensive shape meant this possession advantage rarely translated into dangerous opportunities.

Shots (On Target): Chelsea FC 14 (3) - 8 (2) Crystal Palace FC

Despite having nearly twice as many attempts, Chelsea struggled to test Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson regularly. The Eagles were more efficient with their chances, with Eberechi Eze accounting for both of their shots on target.

Corners: Chelsea FC 7 - 2 Crystal Palace FC

The Blues' set-piece delivery from Cole Palmer created moments of danger, with one corner resulting in Marc Cucurella's header that required a goal-line clearance from Ismaïla Sarr.

Fouls: Chelsea FC 9 - 12 Crystal Palace FC

Cards: Chelsea FC 1 yellow (Moisés Caicedo) - Crystal Palace FC 2 yellows (Will Hughes, Marc Guéhi)

Individual Performance Highlights:

• Cole Palmer (Chelsea): 5 key passes, 4 shots, 91% passing accuracy
• Josh Acheampong (Chelsea): 4 tackles, 6 clearances, 1 blocked shot
• Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace): 4 successful dribbles, 3 shots, 2 on target
• Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace): 8 clearances, 3 interceptions, 1 blocked shot

Both goalkeepers had relatively quiet afternoons, with Robert Sánchez making 2 saves and Dean Henderson recording 3 stops. Chelsea's Jamie Gittens, making his competitive debut for the club, completed 3 successful dribbles during his 68 minutes on the pitch before being replaced by Estêvão.

3': Early opportunity for Chelsea as João Pedro connects with Reece James' cross but heads wide under pressure from Marc Guéhi.

24': First significant chance for Palace against the run of play – Jean-Philippe Mateta breaks through but fires straight at Robert Sánchez when one-on-one.

37': Moisés Caicedo enters the referee's book for a late challenge on Eberechi Eze in a dangerous position. The resulting free-kick is blocked by the Chelsea wall.

45+2': Cole Palmer's curling effort from the edge of the box drifts narrowly wide of Henderson's far post as the half ends goalless.

57': DISALLOWED GOAL – Eberechi Eze curls a beautiful free-kick into the top corner, but after VAR review, it's ruled out as Marc Guéhi was deemed to have been positioned too close to the Chelsea wall, interfering with play.

63': Tactical change for Chelsea as Maresca introduces Estêvão for his competitive debut, replacing Jamie Gittens to inject fresh energy into the attack.

71': Crucial goal-line clearance by Ismaïla Sarr from Marc Cucurella's header following a corner, keeping the game level.

80': Standing ovation for Eberechi Eze as he's substituted amid growing transfer speculation, replaced by Daichi Kamada.

90+4': Final chance falls to Chelsea's Pedro Neto, whose low drive is well saved by Henderson at his near post, confirming the goalless draw.

The rivalry between Chelsea FC and Crystal Palace FC has grown in intensity over recent Premier League seasons, with today's encounter adding another chapter to their London derby history.

Historically, Chelsea have dominated this fixture, winning 21 of the last 30 Premier League meetings before today's match. However, Palace have proven increasingly difficult opponents in recent years, with the Eagles securing memorable victories at Stamford Bridge in both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

Today's 0-0 draw represents the first goalless stalemate between these sides in Premier League history, reflecting the improved defensive organization Crystal Palace have developed under Oliver Glasner's management.

The individual battle between Reece James and Eberechi Eze down Chelsea's right flank was particularly fascinating, with the England internationals engaging in a high-quality duel throughout. James, Chelsea's captain, used his physical strength and positional awareness to contain Eze's threat, though the Palace playmaker still created his team's best moments.

In midfield, the contest between Moisés Caicedo and Adam Wharton showcased two of the Premier League's most promising young talents. Caicedo's greater experience gave Chelsea control in central areas, but 21-year-old Wharton showed impressive composure under pressure, completing 38 of his 42 attempted passes.

Perhaps the most intriguing matchup was between Chelsea's teenage defender Josh Acheampong and Palace's powerful striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. Despite the significant experience gap, Acheampong handled the physical challenge admirably, with one perfectly timed tackle on the Frenchman in the second half drawing the loudest cheers of the afternoon from the home supporters.

As these teams look ahead to their next meeting at Selhurst Park in the new year, both managers will have learned valuable lessons about their opponents' strengths and vulnerabilities from this tactically nuanced encounter.

After the opening weekend of the 2025/26 Premier League season, both Chelsea FC and Crystal Palace FC find themselves in mid-table positions following their goalless draw at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea FC currently sit 7th in the table with 1 point and a goal difference of 0. This represents a cautious start for Enzo Maresca's men, who have ambitions of returning to Champions League qualification spots this season after missing out last term. With significant investment in the squad over the summer, including the arrival of promising youngsters like Jamie Gittens and Brazilian wonderkid Estêvão, the Blues will be expecting to climb the table in the coming weeks.

Crystal Palace FC occupy 10th position, also with 1 point and a 0 goal difference. This represents a solid start for Oliver Glasner's side, who are aiming to improve on last season's 11th-place finish. The Eagles have shown they can compete with the league's bigger clubs, and this point at Stamford Bridge will give them confidence heading into their next fixtures.

While it's far too early to draw significant conclusions from the league table, both teams will view this as a foundation to build upon. Chelsea's immediate challenge will be finding the attacking fluency that was missing today, while Palace will take heart from their defensive resilience away from home against a top-six contender.

With teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool expected to set the early pace at the top of the table, both Chelsea and Palace will need to find consistency in the coming weeks to achieve their respective ambitions in the Premier League.