Chelsea's aims, ambitions and fixtures for final two months of 2024/25 season | OneFootball

It's been a rollercoaster campaign for Chelsea during Enzo Maresca's first year on the job.

An iffy pre-season and opening few weeks of the campaign was followed by a mightily impressive run that briefly had Chelsea dreaming of a Premier League title challenge, but the Blues have plummeted back down to earth since the turn of the year.

The final two months of the campaign will prove decisive for Maresca's men as they chase a positive end to a tempestuous season, with plenty still to play for at Stamford Bridge.

Here are Chelsea's aims and ambitions between now and the campaign's conclusion.

Qualify for the Champions League

Chelsea are still in a strong position to finish in the top four / JUSTIN TALLIS/GettyImages

Chelsea are 15th in the Premier League table based on results over the past five matches, form indicative of their struggles since the start of the calendar year. They have won just four of their ten league matches in 2025 and have surrendered their grip on Champions League qualification as a result.

Such has been the inconsistency of those around them, Chelsea still find themselves in the top four, one point ahead of competitors Manchester City in fifth. The gap between themselves and Bournemouth in tenth is just five points as an array of sides compete for a Champions League berth.

Chelsea have some challenging Premier League fixtures to navigate if they're to secure their return to Europe's premier competition, with the Blues needing to show swift signs of improvement.

Injured returnees should bolster their squad after the international break and Maresca will be keen to get talisman Cole Palmer firing on all cylinders once more. But their place in the top four is far from certain and they can't afford many more slip-ups between now and the campaign's end.

The Conference League is Chelsea's last shot at silverware / Patrik Lundin/GettyImages

Chelsea have been the runaway favourites to win the Europa Conference League since entering the competition at the start of the season, with six wins from six during the league phase serving as another reminder of their superiority.

Now at the quarter-final stage, Chelsea have an attractive route to the final. They will battle Legia Warsaw across two legs in the last eight and will face either Rapid Wien or Djurgardens in the semis should they progress. Fiorentina or Real Betis look their most likely opponents in the showpiece event in Poland.

Anything but victory in the Conference League would be deemed a sizeable failure given the depth, quality and wealth of Chelsea's squad. It's their only chance of securing silverware during Maresca's debut campaign and they should realistically waltz to the trophy.

Get rid of the dead wood

Chelsea need to trim their squad during the summer window / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Chelsea will already be making preparations for the summer transfer window amid a busy period that will also see them compete in the FIFA Club World Cup. With less time to finalise deals than in previous years, the Blues will need to plan ahead.

The west London outfit are always one of the transfer window's most active participants regarding incomings - they have already agreed deals for two Sporting CP wonderkids - but Maresca must make crunch decisions on those he deems capable of featuring in his squad next season.

Loanees such as Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling will need to be offloaded, but Maresca will also have to decide the futures of the fringe players currently in his set-up.

Christopher Nkunku, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and even summer signing Jadon Sancho could be on the move, with the final months of the campaign the last opportunity for peripheral figures to convince Maresca they're worthy of sticking around.

Chelsea's remaining 2024/25 fixtures

Chelsea still have to face the league leaders / Carl Recine/GettyImages

Chelsea will hope to have five Conference League matches during the final two months of the campaign, starting with their double bill against Legia Warsaw, but the Blues are guaranteed just nine more Premier League fixtures.

They face quick-fire London clashes shortly after the international break, welcoming Tottenham Hotspur to Stamford Bridge before making the short trip to Brentford. Struggling Ipswich Town are next up for Chelsea, who were defeated by the Tractor Boys in their final game of 2024.

Another west London duel with Fulham takes place after their second leg against Legia, followed by a Merseyside double. A final trip to Goodison Park to face Everton will prove a tough challenge, before table toppers Liverpool make the journey to the capital at the beginning of May.

A tough end to the campaign could hamper Chelsea's top four bid, with Newcastle United, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest the final three games of the Premier League campaign.