Chelsea's 2023–24 season marked their 118th year and 35th consecutive season in the top flight, beginning with a significant leadership change as long-serving captain César Azpilicueta departed for Atlético Madrid, with academy graduate Reece James taking over the armband. Under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the Blues endured a disappointing first half of the campaign, yet still managed to reach the EFL Cup final (losing to Liverpool) and the FA Cup semi-finals. A remarkable turnaround in the second half, featuring just one defeat in their final 15 league matches from February to May, propelled them to a 6th-place finish, securing an immediate return to European football. Despite this late surge, Pochettino left by mutual consent on 21 May 2024 after less than a year in charge. The club's pre-season featured a US tour for the Premier League Summer Series, with matches against Brighton, Newcastle, Fulham, Wrexham, and Borussia Dortmund. Overall, the season was a tale of two halves, but the strong finish provided a positive foundation for the future.