Advertisement
Chelsea vs AC Milan: Match preview and team news
08th August, 2026 12:49 PM
Chelsea will continue their preparations for the 2026-27 season when they face Italian giants AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
The London club arrive in Indonesia looking to end a run of two consecutive defeats. Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Juventus in their previous outing, while AC Milan played out a 1-1 draw with city rivals Inter Milan.
Chelsea looking to rediscover winning form
Chelsea’s opening weeks under new manager Xabi Alonso have provided mixed results, with the former Premier League side still searching for greater consistency ahead of the new campaign.
Alonso’s first match in charge produced an entertaining 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers, although the number of goals conceded immediately raised questions about Chelsea’s defensive organisation.
Those concerns remained in their next game against Tottenham Hotspur, where Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat despite having a numerical advantage for most of the second half following Kevin Danso’s dismissal.
The Blues were unable to respond positively against Juventus in Hong Kong. Edon Zhegrova’s 68th-minute goal proved decisive, leaving Chelsea with consecutive pre-season defeats.
With just 19 days separating Chelsea from their Premier League opener away to Fulham at Craven Cottage, Alonso will be keen to see signs of improvement against Milan.
Chelsea have enjoyed considerable success in recent meetings with the Rossoneri. Their most recent pre-season encounter last August ended in a convincing 4-1 Chelsea victory, with Liam Delap scoring twice after the interval.
That result extended Chelsea’s unbeaten sequence against Milan to five games. Across 13 previous meetings, Chelsea have won eight, drawn three and lost only twice.
Milan begin another new era
AC Milan are also adapting to a new manager, with Ruben Amorim taking over following Massimiliano Allegri’s departure.
Allegri’s second spell at San Siro ended after Milan finished fifth in Serie A, with a final-day loss against Cagliari bringing an underwhelming campaign to a close.
Amorim’s opening two friendlies have produced draws. Milan recovered from a two-goal deficit against Celtic to finish 2-2 before producing another comeback in their derby meeting with Inter.
Christopher Nkunku converted a late penalty against Inter to earn Milan a share of the spoils and extend their unbeaten run in the Derby della Madonnina to eight matches.
The Portuguese coach therefore has plenty to prove as he attempts to rebuild confidence around a club that has endured several disappointing campaigns.
Victory over Chelsea would provide Amorim with a significant boost before Milan conclude their pre-season schedule against Manchester United.
The meeting with Chelsea also gives Milan an opportunity to improve their poor recent record against English opposition. The Italian side have managed only two victories from their last 14 encounters with Premier League clubs, alongside three draws and nine defeats.
Chelsea team news
Danny Welbeck made his first Chelsea appearance against Juventus and could receive another outing in Jakarta, although a starting berth appears unlikely.
Several players remain unavailable following their participation in the latter stages of the World Cup. Maxence Lacroix, Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto, Morgan Rogers and Reece James have yet to return to pre-season training.
Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were also absent in Hong Kong because of minor problems, but Alonso is hopeful that both players can return against Milan.
Robert Sanchez started between the posts against Juventus before being replaced by Mike Penders. The two goalkeepers remain among the leading candidates to become Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper next season.
Nicolas Jackson’s withdrawal against Juventus was part of a planned change after he had entered at half-time in place of Welbeck. Mykhaylo Mudryk subsequently came on as he made his return following a lengthy doping suspension.
Milan team news
Christopher Nkunku will face his former club for the first time since his departure from Chelsea last summer. Former Blues players Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are also expected to feature against their old side.
Christian Pulisic, however, will miss the reunion because of a thigh injury.
Milan are also without Mario Gila after the defender suffered an injury during his debut. He could potentially recover in time for the Serie A opener against Torino on August 23.
Goalkeeper Mike Maignan remains Milan’s only World Cup absentee, meaning Lorenzo Torriani is expected to start for a third successive match.
Goncalo Ramos came off the bench during the draw with Inter and could be given an opportunity from the beginning against Chelsea.
Rafael Leao and Luka Modric have both returned to action following their World Cup involvement and could feature from the outset, although Milan may choose to ease them back into competitive football.
