Chelsea vs AC Milan: Xabi Alonso’s Challenge in Jakarta

Chelsea look to steady Xabi Alonso’s early reign on Saturday when they meet AC Milan in Jakarta, the first leg of a demanding 24-hour double-header that will say plenty about who is really ready for the new season.

Two weeks out from the Premier League kick-off, the mood around Chelsea is no longer quite as light as it was. Three straight wins over Crawley, Bromley and Western Sydney Wanderers had painted a smooth start for Alonso. Then came the jolt.

A stoppage-time collapse against 10-man Tottenham in Australia, followed by a flat 1-0 defeat to Juventus in Hong Kong, has stripped away the gloss and exposed the work still to be done. Pre-season is not about panic, and there is none yet around the new head coach, but the need to rediscover rhythm is obvious.

Stronger faces, sharper questions

The cavalry has largely returned from World Cup duty, and Jakarta should see something much closer to Alonso’s first-choice side. AC Milan, in front of a vast crowd at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, is no place for half-measures.

The manager’s biggest call may come in goal. Robert Sanchez finally reappeared against Juventus after injury, but the presence of Mike Penders is impossible to ignore. The young Belgian has been quietly building a case across the summer, and this tour now feels like an open audition for the No1 shirt. Whoever starts against Milan will have taken a small step ahead.

At the back, Alonso’s hands have been tied. Constant changes, injuries and careful management have left Chelsea’s defensive structure looking uncertain. He can point to that churn as a major reason for the wobbles. Which is why the likely return of Levi Colwill matters so much.

Colwill, who lost most of last season to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, was not risked on another uneven pitch in midweek, the same caution applied to Cole Palmer. Both decisions were described as precautionary. Both players are now expected to be involved in Jakarta. For Alonso, finally being able to build some continuity around Colwill is crucial if Chelsea are to stop looking so fragile without the ball.

Mudryk back in the shop window

The Juventus defeat will be remembered less for the scoreline and more for one name: Mykhailo Mudryk. The winger’s return, after resolving his anti-doping disciplinary case with the FA, dominated the night in Hong Kong and instantly reframed his Chelsea future.

Mudryk is now firmly in the shop window. Several clubs are circling with loan offers, aware that he has barely started a game for Chelsea since November 2024. Jakarta could bring that wait to an end. A first start under Alonso, in a marquee friendly, would be a timely platform for both player and club as they weigh up what comes next.

Cole Palmer’s situation is very different but no less important. The playmaker has quickly become central to Chelsea’s attacking identity, and Alonso will be desperate to see him on the pitch again after sitting him out against Juventus. If fit, Palmer should slot back into the No10 role, the creative heartbeat in behind the striker.

A teenager takes his chance

For all the concern over recent results, this pre-season has not been short of positives. The standout has been 16-year-old Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, who started in midfield against Juventus and looked as if he had been there for years.

Born in Sydney and representing England at youth level, Nicoll-Jazuli was trusted ahead of Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo to partner Moises Caicedo. That selection said everything about how highly Alonso already rates the Cobham product. In a sluggish team display, the teenager’s composure and range stood out.

Geovany Quenda offered another bright spark. The 19-year-old winger, a £40million arrival from Sporting, injected direct running and intent into an otherwise flat performance. He played like someone impatient to prove he can impact Chelsea’s season right now, not in some distant future.

Rotation, risk and a Milan test

The schedule is brutal: AC Milan in Indonesia on Saturday, Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia on Sunday. Two games, two countries, 24 hours. Alonso has no choice but to rotate, juggling minutes and managing bodies on pitches that have already raised eyebrows.

That likely means Jakarta gets the near full-strength version of Chelsea. Penders is in line to start behind a back four of Palestra, Wesley Fofana, Colwill and Jorrel Hato, if Colwill is passed fit. Lavia and Caicedo should anchor midfield, with Estevao and Mudryk flanking Palmer behind Joao Pedro in attack.

Those on the fringes, and those still building fitness, can expect heavier involvement against Johor Darul Ta'zim. But it is Milan that will draw the real scrutiny.

Kick-off at GBK Stadium is set for 1pm BST on Saturday, with the match available on CFC+. For Alonso, it is another step in shaping a team that still feels half-formed, a side flickering between promise and vulnerability.

The results will be forgotten quickly. The performances, the partnerships, the decisions on players like Mudryk, Penders and Nicoll-Jazuli will not. With the Premier League looming, how many more chances does Alonso have to get those calls right?