Chelsea icon shares his expectations for the 2025-26 Premier League season

Chelsea kicked off their 2025-26 Premier League campaign with a less-than-ideal start, sharing the points with Crystal Palace on Sunday. As you can imagine, expectations are high for Enzo Maresca’s side, who captured the Club World Cup this summer.

We spoke to ex-Chelsea midfielder Ramires, who outlined his expectations for the Blues and had words of advice for new signing Estevao.

Chelsea to continue top performances shown at the Club World Cup

Maresca’s men impressed the football world with their triumph at the Club World Cup in the United States, especially with their win over Champions League holders PSG in the final.

Ramires believes that Chelsea will take the confidence they gained from their Club World Cup win and compete for all titles this season.

“When a team wins a title as huge as the World Cup, the stakes really go up. Chelsea's got a super strong squad with quality players who really want to win, so I think they’ll be even more pumped to keep performing at that level and chase all the titles.”

“It's tougher to stay on top than it is to get there, and Chelsea's got that winning mindset. I'll be cheering them on a ton, like always, hoping everything goes well.”

England is the perfect environment for Estevao to grow tactically

Ramires was also full of praise for his compatriot Estevao, who joined Chelsea from Palmeiras, the club where Ramires called time on his professional career.

The Brazilian points out that England is the perfect environment for Estevao to grow tactically, as he himself experienced when he moved to Chelsea from Benfica in 2010.

“I haven’t met Estevão in person yet, but I can tell he’s a humble, hardworking kid with a lot of personality and courage. I think he's going to find the perfect environment to grow even more, especially tactically, since that’s really emphasised and expected in England. I grew a lot in that aspect when I moved there, and I’m sure he’ll become an even more complete player with this chance.”

He adds that Estevao is already on the right path, as he was coached by Abel Ferreira at Palmeiras.

“One thing that'll help his transition is being coached by Abel Ferreira. Abel’s a great coach, a strategist who demands and delivers a lot on the tactical side, so I believe that experience with Abel has already set him on the right path to keep evolving in every way.”

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The bond with Chelsea will stay forever

Ramires made 251 appearances and won five trophies during his six-year stint at Stamford Bridge. His goal against FC Barcelona in the 2011-12 Champions League semi-final is iconic, and it isn’t a stretch to say that he’s in the pantheon of Chelsea greats.

He remarked on his time at Chelsea, saying it is a special chapter of his life, and that his connection to the club will always be there.

“Chelsea was a really special chapter of my life. I won big titles, had unforgettable moments, and made connections that I still hold dear today. It was where I made a lot of dreams come true and showcased my work to the world.”

“These days, I still take part in the Legends games, so it's definitely a bond that will stay with me forever.”

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