Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season, meaning they will not participate in any European competitions this campaign. This situation, while undesirable for a club of Chelsea's stature, presents a potential opportunity for a resurgence, drawing parallels to past seasons where teams prioritizing domestic league play have seen significant improvement.
Since the 2010-11 season, nine of the Premier League's traditional 'Big Six' — Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham — have experienced a season without European football. Chelsea and Tottenham are set to join this group for the upcoming season. Historically, teams that have had this extended focus on domestic matches have tended to finish higher in the Premier League standings, often improving their position by an average of five places and accumulating 16 more points compared to the preceding season.
A notable instance of this phenomenon occurred in the 2014-15 season when Chelsea, under manager Jose Mourinho, won the Premier League title after finishing outside the European qualification spots the previous year. More recently, in the 2013-14 season, Liverpool narrowly missed out on the Premier League trophy. After finishing seventh the season before, their absence from European competitions allowed them to accumulate 23 more points, ultimately falling just two points short of champions Manchester City.
With Xabi Alonso now at the helm, Chelsea aims to leverage this potential advantage. The club will be looking to move past their 10th-place finish and contend for the league title, a feat they last achieved a decade ago when they benefited from a similar lack of European distractions. The focus on weekly league matches may allow Alonso's squad to train more effectively and remain fresher throughout the demanding Premier League season, potentially leading to an improved performance and a challenge for top honors.