Former Chelsea left-back and current Flamengo manager Filipe Luís has shared his thoughts on who he believes will win this season’s Premier League, and while his heart still beats blue, his head leans towards Manchester City.
Appearing as a special guest on the Obi One Podcast hosted by John Obi Mikel, the Brazilian offered a thoughtful and passionate take on Europe’s biggest clubs, praising Chelsea’s tactical evolution under Enzo Maresca while acknowledging the dominance of Manchester City. Filipe Luís, who won the Premier League and League Cup with Chelsea in the 2014/15 season, spoke with the authority of someone who understands what it takes to compete at the highest level of the game.
He reflected on how Chelsea’s philosophy has transformed since his playing days, noting that Maresca’s modern approach and bold attacking patterns have reintroduced a sense of identity and unpredictability to the team. The former Atlético Madrid star revealed that even as a coach himself, he studies Chelsea’s structure closely, admiring how difficult it is to play against them.
Speaking on the podcast, Filipe Luís said:
Chelsea? Yeah, I believe in Chelsea because the way I see Maresca playing — his style, the way he thinks about football — it’s really difficult to play against Chelsea. For every manager, when you play Chelsea, you have to prepare very well; otherwise, you will not touch the ball. OK, also Tottenham, they started really well this season, but Liverpool — yeah, I forgot about Liverpool — they have to defend the title, right? But yeah, I think these four: City, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool. But for me, my most favourite to win is Manchester City.
Filipe Luís has been closely following Chelsea’s resurgence under Maresca, a coach whose possession-based system and structured pressing have turned the Blues into one of the most unpredictable teams in Europe. Softfootball earlier reported that the former Chelsea defender admitted he even had nightmares facing Maresca’s Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup, where his Flamengo side eventually won 3–1 a result that came despite heavy pressure from the London club.
Filipe Luís’ respect for Chelsea’s evolving style under Maresca reflects the growing admiration the Italian tactician has earned in his first season at Stamford Bridge. With young stars like Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and the incoming Brazilian prodigy Estêvão Willian, Chelsea’s long-term project is beginning to take shape — one that has clearly caught the eye of former players.
Catch the full interaction between Filipe Luis and John Obi Mikel on the Obi one podcast as the former explains why he feels Manchester City is the favorite to win the league ahead of other top contenders. Watch video below
In the same spirit of football analysis and friendly debate, Softfootball earlier reported that Mikel Obi himself, the host of the Obi One Podcast, recently said Arsenal have the best squad in football during another episode. The conversation around England’s top four teams continues to dominate football discussions, especially as the Premier League sides assert themselves again in Europe.
For Filipe Luís, though, the message was clear: Chelsea’s growth under Maresca is exciting but for him Manchester City remain the team to beat in England. And coming from a man who once lifted the Premier League trophy with the Blues, that’s high praise wrapped in realism.
