Chelsea have picked up where they left off from last season, following their Club World Cup and UEFA Conference League triumphs with a convincing 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in their first preseason game of 2025-26. They face AC Milan on Saturday at Stamford Bridge in their final preseason game ahead of their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace next week.
Enzo Maresca handed debuts to three of the club's summer signings -- Estêvão, Jamie Gittens and Jorrel Hato with the teenager Estêvão grabbing headlines with a goal and an eye-catching performance. With a UEFA Champions League campaign to look forward too, coupled with the Club World Cup victory raising hopes of a Premier League title challenge, the mood around the club is positive.
Despite being fairly active in the transfer market, Chelsea are still being linked with moves for Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United and Xavi Simons of RB Leipzig. Summer signings Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have already impressed in their attack, which makes the departures of Armando Broja and Marc Guiu understandable. Nicolas Jackson has also been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge as Maresca finds his attacking formula, with Estevao adding to his options.
In similar vein, AC Milan have scored 13 goals in three preseason games, with four coming in a win over Liverpool. Despite his reputation for defensive football, Massimiliano Allegri's second spell in charge of the club has seen Milan's attack enjoy preseason, rekindling hopes of positive campaign after the club finished eighth in Serie A last year.
The club will face Chelsea in London just 24 hours after a game against Leeds in Ireland, which may force different lineups, as Allegri looks to get his entire squad up to speed ahead of their campaign opener next week -- a round of 64 Coppa Italia clash against second-tier Bari.
Following the €36 million ($41m) signing of Club Brugge midfielder Ardon Jashari, Allegri's midfield may be entirely new, also featuring summer signings Samuele Ricci and Luka Modric. The club still remain in the market for a striker, with links to Rasmus Hojlund, although Santiago Gimenez ought to feature in their preseason games against Leeds and Chelsea.
Here is everything you need to know about Sunday's match.
How to watch:
The match will be broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK and available for streaming on DAZN, with Chelsea's in-house website/app also streaming in most global territories. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key details:
Date: Sunday, 3 p.m. BST (10 a.m. ET; 7:30 p.m. IST and 12 a.m. AEST)
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
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