Chelsea Football Club fought hard to return to the top four of the English Premier League, securing a narrow 1-0 win against struggling Leicester City on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at Stamford Bridge. The match saw Chelsea dominate possession, yet they struggled to create meaningful attacks until the second half, when Spanish defender Mark Cucurella found the back of the net.
The only goal of the match came in the 60th minute. Midfielder Enzo Fernandez delivered a well-timed pass to Cucurella, who made no mistake with his low shot past Leicester’s goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen. "Enzo passed me the ball, and I preferred to shoot. Usually, I don’t do this, but I tried, and we got the three points," Cucurella stated after the match, expressing his joy at helping his team clinch the important victory.
Prior to the goal, Chelsea had several opportunities to take the lead but faced difficulties breaking down Leicester’s defense. The first half included a notable moment when Chelsea was awarded a penalty, only for Cole Palmer's shot to be expertly saved by Hermansen. This miss marked the first penalty failure for Chelsea's attackers this season, as Palmer had gone without scoring for seven consecutive league matches.
Despite their apparent struggles, Chelsea’s management and fans were optimistic about their chances of staying competitive after their recent tactical adjustments, especially following their European victory over Copenhagen. The team entered the match against Leicester with high spirits, aiming to build on this momentum and climb higher on the league table.
With this latest win, Chelsea surpassed Manchester City to move up to fourth place, accumulating 49 points—just two points shy of Nottingham Forest, who sits third, and trailing leaders Liverpool by 21 points. This positioning is proving increasingly important as clubs fight for the coveted Champions League spots.
Leicester City, on the other hand, remains mired in relegation trouble, occupying the second-to-last position with just 17 points. Their season has been characterized by inconsistency, managing only four wins from their 27 matches, alongside five draws and 18 losses. Nevertheless, Leicester attempted to regroup and pose threats during the game, with players like Bilel Elnus and Jamie Vardy seeking to create scoring chances.
Despite some attacking chances, including a last-minute shot from Ricardo Pereira, Leicester could only muster three shots on target—far fewer than Chelsea’s 20 attempts. The Foxes remain under intense pressure, with managerial speculation surrounding coach Ruud van Nistelrooy as they eye potential solutions to escape their predicament.
Looking forward, Chelsea is gearing up for their next league encounter against Arsenal, who holds second place. The upcoming match poses another significant challenge as Chelsea strives to maintain their solid home performance and continue climbing the table. Chelsea fans, energized by Cucurella’s decisive goal, remain hopeful for continued success as the end of the season approaches.
Overall, Chelsea’s narrow victory highlighted both their need for improvement and their undiminished spirit as they fight for European competition qualification, all the more fuelled by their historical performance against Leicester, with six wins recorded against Leicester City out of their last seven encounters. If Chelsea maintains this level of performance, they have every chance to secure the success they desperately seek this season.