Chelsea's next six fixtures after Aston Villa defeat

Graham Potter may adhere to the predictable platitudes off the pitch but his Chelsea side have swung from one extreme to another on the field during a rocky reign.

The Blues scored one goal and failed to win a single game in February but advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals while going unbeaten in March. April got off to the worst start possible, however, with Aston Villa snatching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge that leaves Chelsea in the bottom half of the table.

The outcome of each fixture may be a complete unknown but here are the opponents awaiting Chelsea in the coming weeks.

Chelsea vs Liverpool - Premier League

Graham Potter has only beaten Liverpool once from seven managerial meetings with the Reds (D3 L3) / Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages

Incredibly, Chelsea are yet to beat a team in the top half of the Premier League table this season. Liverpool may be struggling this term but they will still be in a lofty enough position to give Chelsea another chance of breaking that streak on Tuesday night.

The last three meetings between these clubs have ended in the same 0-0 scoreline. Although, Chelsea lost the subsequent penalty shootout when the teams met in the goalless finals of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup last season.

04/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Liverpool - Premier League (20:00)

Wolves vs Chelsea - Premier League

Graham Potter's first Premier League home match in charge of Chelsea was a comfortable 3-0 victory against Wolves / Justin Setterfield/GettyImages

Nothing in a sport as devilishly destructive as football is a sure thing, but don't bet on a bevvy of goals for Chelsea's trip to Molineux.

Despite a slight uptick under Julen Lopetegui, Wolves are the division's joint-lowest scorers this season while Premier League matches involving Chelsea have seen the fewest goals. One for the purists perhaps.

08/04/2023 - Wolves vs Chelsea - Premier League (15:00)

Real Madrid vs Chelsea - Champions League

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was Chelsea manager for two seasons between 2009 and 2011 / Alex Caparros/GettyImages

Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti, a manager whose playing career was almost as trophy-laden as his coaching tenure, has taken a dramatically contrasting route to this season's Champions League quarter-finals compared to his opposite number.

Potter was able to make two top-flight starts in his entire career. Ancelotti won three top-flight titles. Nevertheless, they meet on equal footing in Europe's last eight in the coming weeks.

12/04/2023 - Real Madrid vs Chelsea - Premier League (20:00)

Chelsea vs Brighton - Premier League

There was little reason to applaud when Graham Potter returned to Brighton for a chastening 4-1 loss in October / Bryn Lennon/GettyImages

It would take an almighty performance from Brighton to top the display that saw the Seagulls inflict a cathartic and convincing 4-1 victory over Chelsea and their former manager in October.

A record crowd at the Amex Stadium electrified the occasion as Potter and Marc Cucurella, Brighton's Player of the Year in 2022, were treated to a hostile reception. Roberto De Zerbi's side may need the same vociferous backing when they travel to the club's bogey ground this month; Brighton have never won a match at Stamford Bridge in their history.

15/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Brighton - Premier League (15:00)

Chelsea vs Real Madrid - Champions League

Karim Benzema (right) scored a hat-trick on Real Madrid's last visit to Stamford Bridge / Craig Mercer/MB Media/GettyImages

Unlike the rest of the continent, Chelsea have often fared well against Real Madrid. The west London outfit beat Real in the final of the 1971 Cup Winners' Cup and claimed the UEFA Super Cup at the expense of Madrid in 1998. As recently as 2021, Thomas Tuchel steered Chelsea to the Champions League final after a two-legged victory against Los Blancos.

However, the only victory Madrid have ever earned against Chelsea came on their most recent trip to Stamford Bridge. Karim Benzema bagged a hat-trick inside the opening 46 minutes before deciding the tie in extra time of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

18/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Real Madrid - Champions League (20:00)

Chelsea vs Brentford - Premier League

Chelsea and Brentford played out a 0-0 draw in October's reverse fixture / Visionhaus/GettyImages

In the battle for the top team in west London - an admittedly niche crown fittingly dished out on the King's Road - Chelsea trail Fulham and Brentford going into April. The Bees, despite boasting a wage bill a fraction the size of their capital rivals, top this particular mini-table.

Brentford finished ten places below Chelsea last season but made history with a 4-1 thrashing of the Blues away from home, earning the club's first victory at Stamford Bridge since the outbreak of World War II.

26/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Brentford - Premier League (19:45)

04/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Liverpool - Premier League (20:00)
08/04/2023 - Wolves vs Chelsea - Premier League (15:00)
12/04/2023 - Real Madrid vs Chelsea - Champions League (20:00)
15/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Brighton - Premier League (15:00)
18/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Real Madrid - Champions League (20:00)
26/04/2023 - Chelsea vs Brentford - Premier League (19:45)

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