Chelsea Faces AC Milan Test as Alonso Seeks Pre-Season Momentum

Chelsea’s Asian tour moves to Jakarta on Saturday, and the mood has shifted. The early swagger of three straight wins has gone. Two defeats on the spin under Xabi Alonso have done that. Now AC Milan await at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, and with the Premier League opener just a fortnight away, this no longer feels like a gentle tune‑up.

Juventus edged Chelsea 1-0 in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Edon Zhegrova’s stunning second-half strike punishing another uneven display. Before that, Tottenham, down to 10 men, had snatched a stoppage-time winner in Australia. The results themselves will not panic Alonso. The patterns behind them might.

Chelsea have looked loose without the ball, uncertain in defence and short of rhythm. Alonso can point to the churn at the back: no settled pairing, no consistent back four, constant changes as players return from international duty and injury. Even so, the new manager knows momentum matters, even in July and August. A statement performance against Milan would help.

Stronger core, sharper edge

The good news for Alonso is that his squad is finally close to full strength. The bulk of the World Cup contingent is back, training loads are up, and the manager is expected to send out something close to his strongest available XI against the Serie A giants. With Johor Darul Ta'zim to come in Malaysia on Sunday, this feels like the main event of the weekend; the second game will be used to mop up minutes.

At the heart of the selection puzzle is the No1 shirt. Robert Sanchez returned from injury against Juventus and looked solid enough, but 19-year-old Belgian Mike Penders is pressing hard. Alonso’s choice in Jakarta will be telling. If Penders starts, it signals a genuine contest for the gloves heading into the season.

The defence is where Alonso craves stability most. Levi Colwill, who missed most of last season with a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, was kept off the treacherous Kai Tak surface in midweek as a precaution. So was Cole Palmer. Both are expected to be available in Indonesia, and Colwill’s return in particular is vital if Alonso is to build any kind of familiarity at the back.

Chelsea’s likely back line leans heavily on youth: Penders behind a defence of Palestra, Wesley Fofana, Colwill and Jorrel Hato is the predicted shape. It is bold, mobile and technically gifted. It is also relatively untested as a unit. Jakarta offers another hard lesson against seasoned European opposition.

Mudryk back in the shop window

The Juventus defeat was overshadowed by one story: Mykhailo Mudryk’s return. The Ukrainian winger finally stepped back onto the pitch after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary proceedings with the FA, and immediately became the most watched player in blue for reasons that stretch beyond pre-season form.

Mudryk is now firmly on display. Several clubs are circling with loan offers, and his minutes on this tour will be scrutinised by scouts and sporting directors across Europe. If Alonso hands him a start in Jakarta — his first for Chelsea since November 2024 — it will be both an audition and a test of trust.

He is expected to line up on the left of a three behind Joao Pedro, with Estevao on the right and Palmer in the central creative role if fit enough to start. It is an attacking quartet built for speed and incision, designed to put Chelsea on the front foot after two flat attacking performances.

Palmer’s situation will be watched closely. Left out against Juventus to avoid risking him on another patchy surface, he should now be ready for at least a substantial cameo. For a side that has laboured to create clear chances in the last two games, his return between the lines is significant.

Nicoll-Jazuli seizes his chance

Not everything about this tour has been worrying. One of the brightest stories of Chelsea’s summer is 16-year-old Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli. The Sydney-born England youth international started alongside Moises Caicedo against Juventus, preferred to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo in central midfield, and looked like he belonged.

Alonso’s decision to trust a teenager ahead of big-money signings underlines both the club’s Cobham-first philosophy and the player’s impact. Nicoll-Jazuli has played with a composure that belies his age, knitting play together and showing a sharp understanding of tempo. Whether he starts again against Milan or is used from the bench, he has forced his way into the manager’s thoughts.

Geovany Quenda is another newcomer making noise. The 19-year-old winger, a £40million arrival from Sporting, was one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise subdued display against Juventus. Direct, fearless and keen to attack his full-back, he already looks capable of contributing immediately. With two matches in two countries across 24 hours, his minutes should increase.

Balancing minutes and urgency

Alonso walks a tightrope this weekend. He must manage fitness and injury risk with one eye on the Premier League, while also trying to halt a mini-slide that could undermine early confidence. Saturday’s clash with Milan is expected to showcase a near full-strength side; Sunday’s fixture in Malaysia will likely be the stage for rotation, fringe players and youngsters.

The predicted XI against Milan underlines that intent: Penders; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Mudryk; Joao Pedro. On paper, it is a team that blends academy graduates, high-profile signings and raw potential. On grass, it needs to look like a team ready to start a season, not just a collection of talented names.

Kick-off in Jakarta is set for 1pm BST on Saturday, with the heat, noise and vast bowl of Gelora Bung Karno offering a very different backdrop to Hong Kong and Australia. For Alonso, though, the setting matters less than the response.

Two weeks out from the new campaign, Chelsea do not need perfection. They do need signs that this project is taking shape. Will Milan be the night it finally clicks?