Chelsea Faces AC Milan in Jakarta Amidst Pre-Season Challenges

Chelsea, still rubbing the bruise from Hong Kong, step into Jakarta on Saturday with something more than humidity hanging in the air.

Two defeats on the spin under Xabi Alonso have snapped the early-summer optimism that followed three straight wins over Crawley, Bromley and Western Sydney Wanderers. A late collapse against 10-man Tottenham in Australia, then a 1-0 loss to Juventus sealed by Edon Zhegrova’s brilliant second-half strike at Kai Tak Stadium, have checked the mood. Pre-season or not, the clock is ticking. The Premier League returns in two weeks.

Now comes AC Milan at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, the first leg of a 24-hour double-header that will drag Chelsea from Indonesia to Malaysia, where Johor Darul Ta'zim await on Sunday. It is the kind of schedule that forces decisions, exposes depth and tests the manager’s nerve.

Alonso’s balancing act

Alonso’s Chelsea have not yet convinced without the ball. The defensive line has shifted game by game, and the instability has shown. He will argue that no settled back four means no settled performances. He would be right.

That is why Levi Colwill’s return matters. The centre-back missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and was left out against Juventus on a treacherous surface as a precaution. Cole Palmer sat out for the same reason. Both are expected to be back in contention this weekend, and their presence instantly sharpens Chelsea’s spine and creativity.

Robert Sanchez returned from injury in Hong Kong, but his status as undisputed No1 is under threat. Young Belgian Mike Penders has been pushing hard, and Jakarta could offer a telling clue. Does Alonso double down on experience, or lean into the future and hand the teenager a statement start against Serie A opposition?

With Milan on Saturday and Johor Darul Ta'zim on Sunday, rotation is inevitable. The expectation is clear: near full strength for Milan in Jakarta, then a broader spread of minutes in Malaysia.

Mudryk in the shop window

The Juventus game revolved around one man. Mykhailo Mudryk, back in a Chelsea shirt after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary proceedings with the FA, stepped into the glare again.

His situation is blunt. He is now firmly in the shop window, with several clubs circling for a loan. Jakarta could bring his first Chelsea start since November 2024, a reminder to potential suitors of the raw pace and chaos he can inject from the left. For Alonso, it is a tactical asset. For the club, it is also a sales pitch.

Palmer’s expected return behind the striker, Mudryk wide and a likely strong centre-forward option in Joao Pedro would give Chelsea a front four with teeth. Behind them, Moises Caicedo remains the anchor, and this tour is starting to shape the partnerships that will open the league season.

Teenagers refusing to wait

Not everything on this tour has been scratchy and uncertain. One of the clearest positives has been Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli.

Just 16, Sydney-born, an England youth international, and already trusted. Alonso picked the Cobham midfielder to start alongside Caicedo against Juventus, ahead of Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo. That is not a token gesture in a squad stacked with options. Nicoll-Jazuli played with a calmness that belied his age, snapping into challenges and showing for the ball in tight areas.

On the flank, Geovany Quenda offered another jolt of encouragement. The 19-year-old, a £40million signing from Sporting, looked ready-made rather than raw, one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise flat display in Hong Kong. Direct, aggressive, and unfazed, he has already begun to justify the fee.

These are the performances that give Alonso permission to be bold. With two games in two countries in 24 hours, he will need every ounce of that youthful energy.

The likely shape in Jakarta

All signs point to a strong XI against Milan. Penders is pushing to start in goal. A back four of Palestra, Wesley Fofana, Colwill and Jorrel Hato offers height, recovery pace and balance from both sides. In midfield, Lavia and Caicedo provide a double pivot that can both protect and progress.

Ahead of them, Estevao, Palmer and Mudryk would operate behind Joao Pedro, a fluid line of creators and runners capable of stretching Milan’s structure and testing Chelsea’s own attacking patterns.

Predicted Chelsea XI vs AC Milan: Penders; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Mudryk; Joao Pedro.

Colwill and Palmer remain the only doubts, but both were withheld against Juventus purely as a precaution. The expectation is that they feature at some stage over the weekend, if not from the first whistle in Jakarta.

Kick-off comes at 1pm BST on Saturday, under the heat and noise of Gelora Bung Karno. The result will not define Alonso’s reign, nor will it erase the flaws of the last week. But with the Premier League looming and places still up for grabs, this is no gentle exhibition.

It is a test of who is ready to start the season, and who will be watching from the bench when the real campaign begins.