Our new head coach addresses supporters in his first column for the programme, which is packed full of features ahead of our first game of 2024/25 at the Bridge, including exclusive interviews with new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and one of the many legendary Italians to have graced Stamford Bridge over the years, Roberto Di Matteo.

‘When you join a club like Chelsea, you are arriving at one of the biggest and best clubs in the world,’ writes Maresca in his column. ‘We want to achieve something special together and I am excited to get started.

‘Your support is going to be a big part of this project, we know how much energy it gives the team when they have your backing and they know the whole crowd is behind us, sharing our ambitions. We are certain that we will achieve great things together and we appreciate your patience in the process.’

Dewsbury-Hall knows Enzo well after excelling under him during Leicester City’s Championship title-winning campaign and his interview with the programme includes plenty of insight into the methods that we can expect to see in action at Stamford Bridge this season.

Di Matteo, meanwhile, invited programme features writer Dominic Bliss to his home in Cobham to look back at every aspect of his unforgettable spell in west London, with his playing days – cup finals and all – covered in the first of a two-part special.

There’s plenty more on the strong links between the Blues and Italy throughout the programme, including the first of the new Chelsea Chronicles series, as club historian Rick Glanvill ventures back well beyond Di Matteo and Co’s time at the club to establish why there is such a unique bond between us.

The ties between Inter and Chelsea are also well covered, both on the pitch and those who have shared history with the two clubs, plus Reece James pens his first captain’s column of the season and there’s all the stats and facts covering our players’ efforts for club and country over the summer.

Make sure to pick up your copy from the programme sellers around Stamford Bridge on Sunday, or order one online from our publications partner Reach Sport here.