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New manager Enzo Maresca will take to Chelsea's dugout for the first time this Wednesday as the Blues take on Wrexham in their pre-season opener. Ryan Reynold and Rob McElhenny's Wrexham are currently in the third-tier of English football while Chelsea will be looking for a fresh start under the new manager.
An otherwise dismal 2023-24 campaign ended on a positive note for Chelsea, with them enjoying an impressive run of results and securing a berth in the UEFA Europa Conference League. However, the Blues still decided to send Mauricio Pochettino packing from the manager's role and bring in Enzo Maresca instead.
Maresca guided Leicester City to promotion to the Premier League by winning the EFL Championship in the 2023-24 season. After their game against Wrexham, Chelsea will take on Celtic, Club America, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Inter Milan before kickstarting their 2024-25 season.
Meanwhile, Wrexham did well to hold Bournemouth to a 1-1 draw in their second-pre-season game. Wrexham went into half-time leading by a goal thanks to an own goal by Cherries' James Hill. However, Bournemouth bounced back immediately after the break courtesy of Marcos Senesi.
Wrexham created enough opportunities to even win the game against Bournemouth but eventually settled for a draw, a result which was commendable in itself. They had previously beaten Hanley Town 5-1 in their pre-season opener.
Chelsea vs Wrexham Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Chelsea and Wrexham have locked horns nine times in competitive matches so far. The Blues have won four of those meetings while Wrexham have won two. Three matches have ended in a draw.
- Last year, Chelsea beat Wrexham 5-0 in a pre-season friendly.
- Chelsea finished sixth in the Premier League table last term. That would have been enough to secure Europa League qualification for the Blues. However, they were demoted to the Conference League following Manchester United's FA Cup triumph.
- Wrexham finished second in Football League Two last term and have gained back-to-back promotions in the last two seasons.
Chelsea vs Wrexham Prediction
Wrexham did well against Bournemouth in their latest outing and should be warmed up for the game against Chelsea. The Blues could be leggy in their pre-season opener and the recent Enzo Fernandez scandal would have affected the morale in the dressing room.
However, given the sheer depth of talent at their disposal and the optimism that comes with a new manager taking charge, Chelsea might still get a narrow win here.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Wrexham
Chelsea vs Wrexham Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Chelsea to win
Tip 2: Game to have over 2.5 goals - Yes
Tip 3: Both teams to score - Yes
