Chelsea vs AC Milan: Resetting the Mood in Jakarta
Chelsea look to reset the mood of their Asian tour this afternoon, and they will have to do it the hard way – against AC Milan in the heat and noise of Jakarta.
Two defeats on the spin have checked the early optimism of the Xabi Alonso era. Juventus edged them 1-0 in Hong Kong on Wednesday, days after 10-man Tottenham stole a stoppage-time winner in Australia. The results do not yet ring alarm bells, but with the Premier League kicking off in two weeks, the drift has to stop.
Jakarta offers a chance to change the narrative.
Alonso leans towards full strength
The bulk of Chelsea’s senior players are now back in the fold after the World Cup, and Alonso is expected to go strong at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. With another game against Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia tomorrow, this is the marquee fixture of the weekend; the second match will pick up those needing minutes.
That context matters for the team sheet. This is the dress rehearsal, not the open training session.
In goal, the battle is suddenly real. Robert Sanchez returned from injury against Juventus, but 20-year-old Belgian Mike Penders has been pushing hard. Alonso must decide whether to lean on experience or use Milan as a live audition for a youngster trying to grab the No1 shirt. The prediction is that Penders gets the nod from the start.
Ahead of him, Chelsea’s defensive uncertainty has been a running theme of pre-season. Alonso has yet to field a settled back four and the performances have reflected it. The return of Levi Colwill, who missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, is therefore pivotal. He and Cole Palmer were both left out on Wednesday on a poor pitch in Hong Kong, with the club stressing the decision was purely precautionary. Both are expected to be in contention today.
A likely back line? Penders behind a defence of Palestra, Wesley Fofana, Colwill and Jorrel Hato. It is young, aggressive and, crucially, one Alonso needs to see together as often as possible before the real stuff starts.
Midfield auditions and a 16-year-old statement
If there has been a genuine jolt of excitement on this tour, it has come from the middle of the pitch. Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, just 16, seized his chance with a composed first senior start against Juventus. The Sydney-born England youth international was preferred to both Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo alongside Moises Caicedo – a clear sign of trust from Alonso and a reminder of Cobham’s pull.
Nicoll-Jazuli has put himself firmly in the manager’s thoughts, though the expectation against Milan is that Alonso restores Lavia next to Caicedo for a more battle-hardened axis. Pre-season is about experiments, but this opponent, in this stadium, feels like a step closer to the line-up that will face the Premier League.
Even so, Nicoll-Jazuli has altered the depth chart. Lavia, Essugo and the rest have been warned.
Mudryk back in the spotlight
Up front, the story has a different edge. Mykhailo Mudryk’s return against Juventus, after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary case with the FA, dominated that night in Hong Kong. Now he is firmly in the shop window, with multiple clubs exploring a loan move.
Jakarta could bring his first Chelsea start since November 2024. For the player, it is an opportunity to remind everyone what he can do; for the club, it is a chance to showcase him in a high-profile friendly. Either way, all eyes will track him every time he isolates a full-back.
On the right, Geovany Quenda is pushing hard. The 19-year-old, signed from Sporting for £40million, was one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise flat showing against Juventus. Direct, fearless and already looking at home, he has made a strong case to feature heavily on this tour and beyond.
Cole Palmer, if fully fit, will again be the creative hinge between midfield and attack. Alonso will not risk him on a poor surface, but Jakarta’s stage is expected to see him involved, likely in the No10 role behind Joao Pedro, who leads the line in the predicted XI.
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, though both are expected to be available for at least some involvement.
A test of rhythm, not reputation
Pre-season scorelines are routinely overblown, and Alonso will point to the lessons learned and the positives banked – from Nicoll-Jazuli’s emergence to Quenda’s instant impact. Yet context matters. Two defeats, defensive shakiness and a new manager trying to stamp his identity on a squad that has lurched from one rebuild to another: this Milan clash carries more weight than a typical July or August run-out.
Jakarta will not decide Chelsea’s season. It will, however, offer a clearer glimpse of what Alonso’s Chelsea actually looks like when he stops experimenting and starts building.
