Chelsea Predicted Starting XI vs Juventus (Preseason Friendly)

In Hong Kong, the special administrative region of China that’s home to about 7.5 million residents, a very high profile preseason exhibition will take place on Wendesday night. It’s Chelsea versus Juventus, and yes, it’s just a friendly, but when you first hear Chelsea versus Juventus, it kind of evokes a late stage matchup in the UEFA Champions League tournament.

Or at least it used to, as both of these giant clubs and traditional powers have fallen on some hard times lately.

Series History: Chelsea wins 2  Juventus wins 2  Draws 2

New manager Xabi Alonso is saying all the right things however. He is maintaining a positive outlook on it all, as he explained why he took the job.

“I saw it was good timing from the club, good timing for myself, a good opportunity,” Alonso said in an interview with ESPN FC.

“It is a team that has played really well recently and the situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season. There is a big potential to improve and let’s see how long (it might take to turn things around).”

Here is the lineup that we think Alonso might pick for this midweek exhibition match.

Chelsea Predicted Starting XI vs Juventus (Preseason Friendly)

Mike Penders; Marco Palestra, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato; Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia; Jamie Gittens, Cole Palmer, Estevao Willian; 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.