Chelsea vs Juventus: Pre-season Showdown Preview and Lineups
Following a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Australia, Chelsea moves on to Hong Kong for a pre-season friendly against Italian powerhouse Juventus on Wednesday. Both teams are preparing for the challenges ahead, with Chelsea recently losing the London derby and Juventus coming off a quiet victory over Nice.
Match Overview
This summer has seen significant changes at Chelsea. Manager Xabi Alonso has focused on blending experience into the Premier League’s youngest squad through several friendlies. Veteran striker Danny Welbeck has already joined, with 36-year-old Jordan Henderson expected soon, complementing signings like Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix.
In their recent Sydney Cup match, teenage Brazilian Estevao scored Chelsea’s only goal during a 2-1 loss to Tottenham, shortly after a thrilling 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.
The Blues are aiming to build fitness for their Premier League opener at Fulham on August 22. Before that, they embark on a rapid tour across East Asia, facing Juventus in Hong Kong, AC Milan in Indonesia, and Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia within eight days.
The last meeting between these clubs was in 2021, when Chelsea won 4-0 at Stamford Bridge during the Champions League group stage. Prior to that, Juventus had claimed two wins out of three encounters.
Neither club will participate in Europe’s top-tier competition this season. Chelsea struggled last term, while Juventus narrowly missed out on a top-four finish, settling for the Europa League. Despite a slow start with just one point from two league matches, Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti remains in charge.
Juventus have enjoyed a solid pre-season, drawing with Basel and defeating Standard Liege and Nice, with Douglas Luiz scoring against Nice. After upcoming games against Palermo and their youth team in Italy, Juventus will travel to Hong Kong and then Australia for a match against rivals Inter Milan.
Recent Form
- Chelsea Pre-season: 1 win, 1 loss
- Juventus Pre-season: 2 wins, 1 draw
Team Updates
Chelsea recently welcomed back Mykhaylo Mudryk after a lengthy ban. Alongside late additions such as Danny Welbeck, Pedro Neto, and Geovany Quenda, they have a strong touring squad. Goalkeeper Mike Penders is available to challenge Robert Sanchez, while Teddy Sharman-Lowe may serve as backup.
Midfielders Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Jackson missed the Spurs game but might feature here. Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez, Maxence Lacroix, and Morgan Rogers are still unavailable. With Liam Delap likely departing, forward spots could go to Kazakh talent Dastan Satpaev or Joao Pedro, who recently scored a quick hat-trick against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Juventus no longer have former Chelsea target Dusan Vlahovic following his contract expiration. Fit-again Arkadiusz Milik may spearhead their attack. Coach Spalletti has reinforced his forward line by bringing back Randal Kolo Muani and signing Bosnian prospect Kerim Alajbegovic. Defender Zeki Celik also arrived from Roma on a free transfer.
Jeff Ekhator joined from Genoa but is sidelined by a muscular injury, along with key midfielder Khephren Thuram.
Likely Starting Lineups
- Chelsea: Sanchez; Palestra, Acheampong, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Pedro
- Juventus: Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; Celik, Locatelli, Luiz, Cambiaso; Zhegrova, Boga; Milik
Prediction
With several stars returning, Chelsea looks stronger than in previous friendlies and should overcome a modest Juventus side. Years of turmoil have weakened Juve, while Chelsea appears to be on a steadier path under Alonso’s guidance.
Our forecast: Chelsea 3-1 Juventus.
