Chelsea 3–0 AC Milan, Lavia breaks through
That was more like it. Chelsea beat AC Milan 3–0 in Jakarta on Saturday and Romeo Lavia played his first full 90 minutes for the club (4) (5) (9). Xabi Alonso kept him on deliberately. "He has had a mental block. He was tired, but I said let him play, let him enjoy the 90 minutes. When he finished, he was exhausted. So I think he's really happy," Alonso said (4) (5). João Pedro and Moisés Caicedo were among the scorers (9).
Acheampong shut down Leão
Josh Acheampong, 20, kept Rafael Leão quiet all night and helped deliver Chelsea's first clean sheet of pre-season (8) (10). His numbers were absurd: 95% pass completion, 6 of 7 ground duels won, 4 tackles, 2 interceptions. Alonso now has a real decision at right-back before the season starts (10).
Set pieces are working
Two of Chelsea's three goals came directly from corners (9) (13). That is not accidental. The set-piece work installed this summer is already producing, and it gives your team a dimension that was missing last season (13).
Get the next Chelsea FC brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Sanchez: no Europe could be a blessing
Robert Sanchez sees the lack of European football as an advantage. "One game a week, and I have a feeling we can do great things this year," he said (6) (8). He also welcomed the competition from Mike Penders, framing it as something that raises standards across the goalkeeping group (6).
Endrick interest, Lukaku waiting on Fenerbahçe
Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Endrick from Real Madrid, though the deal would come with conditions (2) (11). Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku has agreed personal terms with Fenerbahçe, but the transfer fee remains the sticking point. Napoli owe Chelsea 40% of whatever they receive (3).
Johor Darul Ta'zim today to close the tour
Chelsea face Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim on Sunday in the final match of the pre-season tour (1). It is your last chance to see the team before the Premier League opener.
Fan reactions
Acheampong's stat line against Milan lit up the subreddit, 95% passing, 6 of 7 ground duels, 4 tackles. Nobody is calling it a friendly performance. The thread is full of believers. Alonso's Lavia quote also landed hard: fans see a manager who understands the psychological side of the game, and the Romano post is one of the most upvoted of the weekend. The Jakarta crowd made an impression too, Chelsea's official video from the stadium shows a sea of blue.
