Chelsea return to action for their shortened pre-season preparations after winning the Club World Cup last month, hosting Erik ten Hag's Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea players celebrate
Club World Cup winners Chelsea face Bayer Leverkusen on Friday
(Image: Getty Images)
Chelsea play host to Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, with Enzo Maresca eager to sharpen his squad ahead of the Premier League returning. Chelsea's summer has been relentless to say the least, ditching the usual pre-season tour to instead compete at the Club World Cup.
It's a move that seemingly paid off for the Blues in the short-term, reaping the financial benefits of winning the tournament courtesy of a 3-0 thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain in last month's final, although it may have hindered the club's preparations for a fresh league campaign.
While many of Chelsea's rivals have been busy embarking on continental tours and taking on stiff competition to rebuild fitness levels, they haven't played a single game since their Club World Cup win over Les Parisiens on July 13. But that changes on Friday, when Maresca's Blues face Erik ten Hag's Leverkusen, as they look to pick up where they left off in terms of form.
It will mark the first time that Ten Hag will have faced a Premier League team since he was sacked by Manchester United in October, taking the rest of the season to weigh up his options before he was appointed as head coach of Die Werkself in May. Life in the Bundesliga will be far from plain sailing for the Dutchman, however.
Leverkusen have lost a number of their star players this summer, with Liverpool snapping up both Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah making his way to Bayern Munich, and Sunderland AFC securing seasoned veteran Granit Xhaka. As a result, their pre-season preparations have been a mixed bag as Ten Hag works to highlight his best starting XI, evidenced by an embarrassing 5-1 loss to Flamengo's U20 side.
A clash with Chelsea will paint a better picture for Ten Hag given the experience and talent in Maresca's squad. Here, Mirror Football breaks down how to watch along from home, as well as all of the other important details viewers need to know...
When will Chelsea vs Bayer Leverkusen kick off?
Chelsea are set to play host to Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge on Friday evening. Kick-off between the two sides is set for 7pm UK time.
A general view of Stamford Bridge
Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge on Friday(Image: Getty Images)
How can I watch Chelsea vs Bayer Leverkusen?
While many of this summer's pre-season friendlies have not been shown on terrestrial TV, Chelsea's clash with Bayer Leverkusen will be available to watch live and for free via Channel 5 or via the 5 app, with coverage commencing at 6:30pm. Chelsea's second, and final, pre-season clash with AC Milan on August 10 will also be shown live by the broadcaster, with coverage starting at 2:30pm for a 3pm kick-off.
Elsewhere, DAZN subscribers will also be able to live stream Chelsea's friendly with Leverkusen live on their smart TV, phone, tablet, laptop, gaming console or streaming device of their choice. Both paid-for and free subscriptions will allow users to watch the game.
Who have Chelsea signed this summer?
Despite winning the UEFA Conference League through a 4-1 win over Real Betis in May, Chelsea will play Champions League football rather than compete in the Europa League this coming season as a result of their fourth-place finish in the Premier League. In preparation for the season ahead, Maresca wasted very little time in strengthening his squad this summer.
Chelsea celebrate with the Club World Cup trophy
Chelsea have had a busy summer on and off the pitch
Thus far, Chelsea have secured the services of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Estevao, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez, spending almost £250m in total this summer. And football fans may get to see a glimpse of the new signings who weren't present at the Club World Cup when Chelsea face Leverkusen.
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