Chelsea Seeks Momentum Against Milan in Jakarta
Two defeats on the spin, two weeks until the Premier League kicks off, and now a meeting with AC Milan in the heat of Jakarta. Pre-season is not yet an alarm bell for Chelsea, but the volume has nudged up a notch for Xabi Alonso.
His side were edged out 1-0 by Juventus in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Edon Zhegrova’s superb second-half strike deciding a cagey contest at Kai Tak Stadium. It followed that chaotic late collapse against 10-man Tottenham in Australia. Three straight wins over Crawley, Bromley and Western Sydney Wanderers have quickly given way to questions.
This trip to Indonesia offers a chance to steady the mood.
Alonso has most of his senior players back from World Cup duty and, with AC Milan on Saturday and Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia on Sunday, the weekend has been split in two. Jakarta should see something close to his strongest available XI. The second game, less than 24 hours later, will mop up those needing minutes and those being carefully wrapped in cotton wool.
Mudryk back in the shop window
The Juventus defeat revolved around one man: Mykhailo Mudryk.
His return dominated the night, the Ukrainian winger back in blue after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary case with the FA. The saga has left his Chelsea future wide open. Several clubs are circling for a loan, and this Asian tour now doubles as a showcase.
Jakarta could bring his first Chelsea start since November 2024. If Alonso wants to see whether Mudryk still has a role in his project, this is the stage.
Battle for No1 begins in earnest
Another subplot quietly brewing is in goal. Robert Sanchez finally returned from injury against Juventus, but the competition has already arrived. Young Belgian Mike Penders is pushing hard and is expected to get serious consideration from Alonso.
Pre-season often decides nothing. Here, it might shape the pecking order. With the manager keen to lock down a first-choice goalkeeper before the league campaign begins, the Milan game feels like an early audition.
Defensive doubts and a crucial return
Chelsea’s biggest concern under Alonso so far has come without the ball. The back line has looked unsure, shapes have shifted, and partnerships have been makeshift. The manager has pushed back, pointing to a lack of continuity in defence as he juggles injuries and fitness.
That is why Levi Colwill’s return matters so much. The England defender, who missed most of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, was not risked on the uneven surface in Hong Kong. Cole Palmer sat out for the same reason. Both decisions were labelled precautionary, and both players are expected to be in contention this weekend.
If Colwill starts, Alonso finally gets a cornerstone around which to build some familiarity. If Palmer returns, Chelsea instantly look more coherent in the final third.
Teenage surge from Cobham
Not everything on this tour has been scratchy. One of the brightest sparks has been 16-year-old Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli. The Sydney-born England youth international was handed his first senior start against Juventus and did not look out of place.
More than that, Alonso trusted him. Nicoll-Jazuli started alongside Moises Caicedo, preferred to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo. For a teenager fresh from Cobham, that is a statement.
Geovany Quenda has offered similar encouragement. The 19-year-old winger, a £40million signing from Sporting, was one of the few to inject any real threat in an otherwise flat display in Hong Kong. Direct, confident, and eager to run at defenders, he already looks capable of impacting the first team now rather than later.
Jakarta likely XI and rotation plan
With two games in two countries inside 24 hours, Alonso will not gamble recklessly. He will rotate. But the expectation is that Milan face the stronger side at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, with others held back for Johor Darul Ta'zim.
A near full-strength Chelsea could resemble this:
Penders; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Mudryk; Joao Pedro.
Colwill and Palmer remain the main doubts, but both are under consideration after those midweek precautions.
Kick-off comes at 1pm BST on Saturday, August 8, 2026, in front of what should be a feverish Jakarta crowd. For Alonso, it is still only pre-season. Yet with the Premier League looming and the performances wobbling, this no longer feels like just another friendly.
It feels like the moment Chelsea must decide what kind of team they plan to be when the real thing starts.
