Chelsea fans, addled by a mix of high temperatures and low performances, marvel that they somehow muddled through this season and are still in next year's Champions League.
Dumped out of Europe by Bayern Munch via a basketball scoreline, the Blues await a decision on whether they'll get a delayed start to 2020-21 for added 'recovery time'. That's the hope of manager Frank Lampard as he heads into his second campaign.
While Saturday 12 September is officially the first day, it is still possible that Chelsea's last Champions League jaunt could buy them extra rest.
The men's friendlies need to be organised, but Lampard is still unsure who he'll have in his squad for his second season.
The exit of Willian and Pedro means he's lost two experienced players, but the arrival of striker Timo Werner from Leipzig and midfielder Hakim Ziyech from Ajax go some way to compensate.
Women kick off
Chelsea Women, meanwhile, kick off a week earlier than the men, with the Blues away to Manchester United on 5/6 September, followed by Bristol City's visit to Kingsmeadow the next weekend.
The reigning FA Women's Super League champions will look to extend their dominance over rivals Manchester City and Arsenal as they aim to secure their third league title in a row.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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