Preseason friendlies: Chelsea vs. Milan, probable lineups

Chelsea and Milan are set to face off in Jakarta at 2 p.m. (Italian time) in a friendly match scheduled to take place in Indonesia. The Blues are adjusting to Xabi Alonso’s new tactics and have lost to Tottenham and Juventus in their last two friendlies; Ruben Amorim’s team, on the other hand, has recorded two draws against Celtic and Inter.

Palestra is expected to start from the 1st minute for the Londoners, with Fofana, Colwill, and Hato joining him on the defensive line. In midfield, Alonso is relying on Lavia and Caicedo, while the attacking midfield trio will consist of Estevao, Palmer, and Pedro Neto behind lone striker Joao Pedro.

Amorim is sticking with the new 3-4-2-1 formation. Ramos is expected to start, with Nkunku and Leao behind him. Luka Modric will play in the playmaker role with Comotto alongside him, while Saelemaekers and Estupinan will occupy the wings. In defense, Vladimirov, De Winter, and Diawara will line up in front of Torriani. French national team players Maignan and Rabiot will join training camp starting August 12.

Chelsea vs. Milan: Probable Lineups
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Penders; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Pedro Neto; Joao Pedro. Head Coach: Xabi Alonso
MILAN (3-4-2-1): Torriani; Vladimirov, De Winter, Diawara; Saelemaekers, Modric, Comotto, Estupinan; Nkunku, Leao; Ramos. Head Coach: Amorim.

The match in Jakarta represents an important test for Amorim ahead of the league opener against Torino. The Portuguese coach stated in the pre-match press conference that he wants to see specific signs of progress from his team: “I expect us to do well on set pieces. We’ll also try out a few scenarios and evaluate several players, including Comotto and Diawara. We need to improve with the ball and, above all, get better in one-on-one situations because, if we want to press high, we have to be really strong in individual duels. Against the Blues, I want to see new things from the team and prepare them in the best possible way so they’re ready for the match against Torino.”