Chelsea bounced back from back-to-back pre-season defeats with their best performance under Xabi Alonso so far as Joao Pedro's double helped them to a convincing 3-0 win over AC Milan in Jakarta.
The Blues' previous hybrid between 4-2-3-1 and Alonso's patented 3-4-3 was ditched in favour of the latter and paid off against the Serie A heavyweights, with Marco Palestra shining at left wing-back and the impact of new set-piece coach Austin McPhee already evident.
Chelsea scored 10 goals from corners across the whole Premier League season in 2025/26 but managed two in 90 minutes here, with Joao Pedro peeling off Milan goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani to glance Moises Caicedo's delivery home unmarked, moments before the break.
- As it happened | Latest Chelsea news and transfer updates
- Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱
- Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract📺
He doubled his and Chelsea's lead within a minute of the restart by pouncing at the back post to turn home Pedro Neto's in-swinging cross, before Caicedo turned provider to scorer by latching onto a volley from another corner from the edge of the box three minutes later.
Chelsea could have had more with substitutes Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson both lively and denied by the woodwork, but they could settle for a morale-boosting victory and more than an hour in the legs for most of a strong starting line-up in Indonesia.
The key moments from Jakarta...
- 27: SAVE! Neto forces Torriani into his first real save of note with a curling effort from a loose ball which has him at full stretch.
- 42: BIG MISS! Joao Pedro should have Chelsea ahead after Palestra turns inside well with the ball and feeds him, but he scoops his first-time effort over when well-placed.
- 45+2: GOAL! Joao Pedro makes up for that miss by turning home Caicedo's cross from a corner for the opener.
- 46: GOAL! Two goals in as many minutes as Joao Pedro takes advantage of Milan's seven half-time changes to smartly finish Neto's cross from close range.
- 49: GOAL! Caicedo makes it three when he latches onto another corner to volley home from the edge of the box.
- 74: POST! Quenda stands up his man in the Milan area before driving past him and smacking the near post with a powerful effort.
- 83: POST! Jackson does likewise on the far side after a fine run as he looks to find the near corner and beat Torriani.
- 87: CHANCE! Estevao is played through down the right and goes straight for goal, before he looks to lift the ball over Torriani who stays tall and turns it over the bar.
Analysis: Plenty to please Alonso as identity begins to take shape
Sky Sports' Ron Walker:
It hasn't always been the case for Chelsea this pre-season but there's no arguing the virtues of their victory today.
Also See:
-
Chelsea news and transfer latest
-
Stream the Premier League with no contract
-
Chelsea fixtures
-
Get Sky Sports
A number of players impressed, and we perhaps saw the first knockings of the Austin McPhee era of set pieces - a much-needed improvement if this is anything to go by.
Here's a summary of what the Blues might take away from this afternoon:
- Palestra's versatility - The Italian's ability with both feet makes him an especially useful outlet at wing-back on either side, and he was one of the Blues' best performers off the left - teeing up Danny Welbeck in the first half before going close to a goal himself in the second. The 21-year-old offered extra threat with his ability to turn inside or out.
- Set-piece improvements - Chelsea scored 10 goals from corners in the Premier League last season, almost half the total of champions Arsenal, but netted two either side of half-time against AC Milan. Is set-piece coach Austin McPhee, appointed a couple of weeks back, already making an impact?
- Alonso hallmarks taking shape - In previous games we have seen more of a hybrid 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-3 from Xabi Alonso but this was the latter in all its glory, with Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia given significant responsibility in midfield - and they both shone. Caicedo regularly dropped into the back three to start the build-up while Lavia man-marked Luka Modric, who was largely anonymous.
- Morale-boosting win - It's only pre-season but everyone likes winning, right? After back-to-back defeats, including a toothless display against Juventus three days ago, this was a promising return to form, especially with the number of chances created and goals scored.
- I'm sorry, Mr Jackson? - Nicolas Jackson did everything but score from the bench in his half-hour cameo and was generally superb, creating a fine chance for Cole Palmer with a reverse pass before hitting the woodwork after creating space for himself with a jinking run. Might there be a role for him yet at Stamford Bridge?
Chelsea's pre-season so far...
July 28: Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers - Sydney
August 1: Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham - Sydney
August 5: Chelsea 0-1 Juventus - Hong Kong
August 8: Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan - Jakarta
August 9: Johor Darul Ta'zim vs Chelsea - Johor, 1pm
August 15: Chelsea vs Real Sociedad - Stamford Bridge, 2pm