Although it is not a competitive fixture, Chelsea FC and Inter Milan will meet for the fifth time on Sunday. The Blues are yet to register a win in this series (2D2L). New manager Enzo Maresca certainly has a point or two to prove right now, so he’ll go with a strong lineup.
There were plenty of skeptics, voicing their disapproval, when he was hired. That’s understandable, given his lack of experience.
Preseason Friendly FYIs
Chelsea FC vs Inter Milan
Kickoff (local time): Sun. Aug 11, 3pm, Stamford Bridge, London, UK
Chelsea Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction Details on the Pedro Neto Signing
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
And many of these preseason performances certainly did nothing to alleviate concern.
Especially in the back, where Chelsea have been especially poor. Maresca and company will want to end the preseason on a positive, and maybe bring some good momentum into the when the games start to count for real.
Here is what “leading with strength” and “putting your best foot forward” might look like.
Chelsea FC Starting XI Prediction vs Inter Milan (Club Friendly)
Djorde Petrovic; Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell; Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk; Christopher Nkunku
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.