It may only be preseason, but these footballers are competitors. Even for exhibition matches, they would much rather win than lose. Chelsea lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, and Juventus in midweek. No Blues supporter wants to see three consecutive losses, any format or competition, especially when you consider how last season went.
So the clash with AC Milan in Indonesia this weekend will have a little more juice than you might first imagine it to have.
Chelsea vs AC Milan FYIs
Kickoff: 1pm British Standard Time, Saturday, Aug 8th, 2026.
Where: Gelora Bung Karno, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
Chelsea Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Series History: Chelsea wins: 8 AC Milan wins: 2 Draws: 1
After all, you know the old cliche “there is no such thing as a friendly”
So with that in mind, first year manager Xabi Alonso will look to get some positive momentum going here, and a win would certainly help with that.
While yes, he is still easing guys back in to the side, and doing some squad rotation, Alonso will pick a very strong first team for this one.
Chelsea FC Predicted Starting XI vs AC Milan
Robert Sanchez; Marco Palestra, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, Marco Palestra; Moises Caicedo, Dario Essugo; Estevao Willian, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens; Joao Pedro
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 USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.