The curtain comes down on Chelsea’s 2025/26 mini pre-season schedule this Sunday when Enzo Maresca’s Blues host Massimiliano Allegri’s AC Milan in a glamour tie at Stamford Bridge.
With the new domestic seasons looming, both sides will be using this clash as their final tactical tune-up after eventful summers.
Chelsea: Momentum Building After Club World Cup Glory
Chelsea enter the fixture off the back of a trophy-winning summer, having lifted the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in July with a hard-fought final victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Since then, the focus has been on recovery and integrating new arrivals ahead of the Premier League opener against Crystal Palace on August 17.
Their first outing in the VisitMalta Weekender comes just two days earlier against Bayer Leverkusen, giving Maresca a quick-fire double-header to experiment with rotations.
Form Guide:
Chelsea’s attacking play has been their biggest strength, averaging 1.9 goals per game last season and carrying that into the summer tournaments, but defensive lapses have occasionally opened the door for opponents.
Cole Palmer continues to be the creative heartbeat, while new signings Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have added depth and cutting edge to the forward line.
Tactics Watch: Maresca’s Blueprint
Maresca’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system thrives on midfield control through Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo, with Palmer dictating the tempo in advanced areas.
Wide play will again be key, especially with potential debut minutes for Willian Estevão and Jamie Gittens.
Expect Chelsea to:
Press Milan’s central midfield, particularly Luka Modric, to disrupt passing lanes.
Overload wide areas to isolate Milan’s full-backs.
Maintain quick defensive transitions to deal with Rafael Leão’s counter-attacking threat.
Chelsea Team News :
Fit and Available: Nkunku returns to action after an injury-plagued 2024/25, likely from the bench.
Doubts: Reece James may be rested to preserve fitness for the season opener.
Out: Wesley Fofana remains sidelined
Debut Watch: Estevão, Gittens, and Jorrel Hato could feature for the blues on Sunday.
AC Milan: Allegri’s New Era
Milan arrive in West London under Massimiliano Allegri, who replaced Stefano Pioli in May after the Rossoneri finished eighth in Serie A last season.
The Italian tactician has wasted no time reshaping the squad with a blend of experience and energy.
Form Guide:
Their pre-season has been encouraging, highlighted by a 4-2 win over Liverpool and competitive showings in the Asia-Pacific tour.
With Rafael Leão and Christian Pulisic in sharp form, Milan have averaged 1.6 goals per game across friendlies but still show defensive vulnerability.
Tactics Watch: Allegri’s 4-3-3
Allegri’s 4-3-3 is built around:
Leão and Pulisic stretching defences from the flanks.
Luka Modric controlling tempo from deep.
Samuel Chukwueze as a dynamic central option up front. Defensively, the Rossoneri will rely on ex-Chelsea man Fikayo Tomori to marshal the backline, but their high line could be exploited by Chelsea’s runners in behind.
AC Milan Team News :
Fit and Available: No major injuries reported.
Notable Additions: Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton) strengthens left-back; Luka Modric adds midfield quality.
Emotional Returns: Former Blues Tomori, Loftus-Cheek, and Pulisic will face their old club at the Bridge.
Head-to-Head Record :
Chelsea and Milan have met sparingly in competitive fixtures, with the most recent coming in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage, where Chelsea won both games (3-0 home, 2-0 away).
Friendly encounters, however, tend to be more open, with both managers likely to rotate heavily after half-time.
Key Battles :
Cole Palmer vs Pervis Estupiñán: Palmer’s vision could expose space behind Milan’s attacking full-back.
Tosin vs Rafael Leão: A test of Colwill’s one-on-one defending against one of Europe’s most explosive wingers.
Enzo Fernández vs Luka Modric: Midfield metronomes battling for dominance in possession.
Potential Lineups:
Chelsea: 4-2-3-1 – Jorgensen; Gusto, Tosin, Chalobah, Hato; Santos, Lavia; Estevao, Enzo, Gittens; Delap.
AC Milan: 4-3-3 – Maignan; Calabra, Tomori, Gabbia, Estupinan; Modric, Richardson, Loftus-cheek; Pulisic, Giminez, Leao.
Where to watch:
United Kingdom: Channel 5 or DAZN
United States: DAZN or Chelsea app
Canada: DAZN or Chelsea app
Australia: DAZN or Chelsea app
Nigeria: SuperSports, Chelsea app or DAZN
Score Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 AC Milan
Conclusion
Pre-season scorelines are notoriously difficult to call, especially with heavy substitutions expected, but both sides will want a strong finish to their preparations.