Joao Pedro Stars as Chelsea Thrash Milan 3-0 in Jakarta
Chelsea’s pre-season gathered real momentum in Jakarta, where Joao Pedro struck either side of half-time and Moises Caicedo added a spectacular third in a 3–0 dismantling of AC Milan.
This was no gentle run-out. Xabi Alonso named a strong side, trusted them in the 30C heat, and watched them grow into a game that started sluggishly but ended with a statement.
Slow burn, ruthless finish
The first half never truly caught fire. Milan actually settled quicker, snapping into challenges and stitching together the neater early passages of play while Chelsea searched for rhythm.
Gradually, the pattern flipped. Chelsea’s press bit higher, their passing tightened, and every time they threatened, Joao Pedro seemed to be lurking at the heart of it. He dropped into pockets, spun in behind, and repeatedly asked questions of a Milan back line that began to creak.
The breakthrough came just as the interval loomed. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Chelsea earned a corner and finally made Milan pay. The delivery was sharp, the movement sharper, and Joao Pedro rose to meet it, guiding his header home to give Alonso’s side a lead they had grown to deserve. From a flat half, Chelsea walked down the tunnel with a spring in their step.
Chelsea step on the gas
If the first period had been turgid, the opening to the second was anything but.
Chelsea flew out as if the whistle had never gone. Within a minute of the restart, the same man struck again. A free-kick from Pedro Neto was whipped into the danger area and Joao Pedro, alive to the second phase, swept in from close range. Two chances, two finishes, and suddenly Milan were staring at a long afternoon.
Milan had rolled the dice at half-time, making eight changes in one hit. The reshuffle only deepened their problems. The new-look side struggled to organise themselves, passes went astray, and Chelsea sensed vulnerability.
The pressure told again within minutes. Another corner, another loose ball dropping on the edge of the area. This time it was Caicedo who took centre stage. He watched it fall, set himself and unleashed a volley that ripped into the net from the edge of the box. A stunning strike, the kind that silences a stadium for a heartbeat before the noise surges back.
At 3–0, the contest was effectively over.
Professional control, promising signs
From there, Chelsea shifted gears. The intensity eased, but the control did not. Milan saw more of the ball as the match wore on, probing and pushing higher, yet they rarely carved out anything that truly troubled the Chelsea back line.
Alonso’s players managed the game with a calm that will please him as much as the goals. They stayed compact, protected their penalty area, and preserved the clean sheet without late drama.
Pre-season scorelines can mislead, but performances matter. This one carried weight. Chelsea showed a sharp edge in attack, energy and bite in midfield, and the defensive discipline to close out a convincing victory.
On this evidence, Alonso’s side are not easing their way into the new campaign. They are accelerating towards it.
