Spurs win it late, ten men and all
Chelsea 1–2 Tottenham in Sydney on Saturday, and this one stings. Richarlison scored the winner in stoppage time after Spurs had Kevin Danso sent off (2) (8). Estêvão was your standout performer, while Dário Essugo had a rough outing (8). Roberto De Zerbi made it clear afterwards he wants Richarlison to stay: "He's important, it's not easy to find another striker" (2).
João Pedro locked down until 2033
Chelsea have a verbal agreement with João Pedro on a new long-term deal until 2033 with a salary bump (1) (4). Barcelona and Arsenal had been circling, your club said no and made him untouchable (4). The Brazilian confirmed it himself in his own way: "Obrigo ele a treinar o inglês," he said, joking about forcing a teammate to practice English (4).
Xabi on Mudryk: too early to know what he can give you
Mykhailo Mudryk is back with the squad after his doping ban was lifted, and Xabi Alonso is honest about where things stand. "I'm very happy for him," Alonso said, but added it is "too early" to understand what he can contribute right now (5) (6). Mudryk will travel with the squad to Hong Kong for the next leg of pre-season (7).
The Sydney double: a hat-trick and a narrow loss
Chelsea's pre-season tour has been wild. João Pedro needed 27 minutes to score a hat-trick against Sydney Wanderers in a 6–4 win earlier on the trip (4). Then came the Spurs loss, a match Alonso will feel he should have won, with ten-man opposition and a stoppage-time knockout blow (2) (3). Two games, ten goals across them, one trophy chance gone.
Fan reactions
The João Pedro contract news has landed well, the Fabrizio Romano confirmation on the subreddit has fans calling it the most important business of the summer. There is also buzz around a fresh bid for Rayo Vallecano left-back Pep Chavarría, with Alonso apparently driving that one. The Spurs loss thread is quieter, pre-season context softens the blow, but losing to ten men still irritates. See the match thread.
