Chelsea will head into the new season with plenty of momentum following a comfortable 4-1 victory over AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly.
The Blues made a fast start to the game and found themselves two goals in front after just eight minutes. Their first came with a slice of luck when Milan defender Andrei Coubis turned the ball into his own net from a Reece James free-kick.
Minutes later, Chelsea pushed forward on the break with Pedro Neto whipping in a perfectly weighted cross towards Joao Pedro, who headed home from close range to score what was already his fifth for the club.
To add insult to injury, the Rossoneri found themselves down to ten men when Pedro latched onto a long ball, only to be brought down by Coubis, who was shown a straight red card. Cole Palmer almost found the net from the resulting free-kick but his effort went inches wide of the target.
Enzo Maresca's side added a third from the penalty spot midway through the second half. Substitute Estevao was brought down inside the box, as Liam Delap converted the spot kick. However, Youssouf Fofana swiftly pulled one back for the visitors when he found the net from close range.
But in the closing stages of the game, Chelsea restored their three-goal advantage when Andrey Santos put the ball on a plate for Delap, who fired home a brilliant finish to wrap up victory for the West Londoners.
Story of the Match
Enzo Maresca made seven changes from Friday's 2-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen, with Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer the only players to keep their place in the starting eleven.
After impressing off the bench against Leverkusen, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gitten were both rewarded with starts. Robert Sanchez started between the posts whilst captain Reece James slotted in at right-back with Enzo Fernandez beside Caicedo in midfield.
Meanwhile, for AC Milan, Cobham academy graduate Ruben Loftus-Cheek returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time since joining the Rossoneri two years ago. Despite being linked with a move to Chelsea over the summer, goalkeeper Mike Maignan captained the side with Rafael Leao spearheading the attack.
With just five minutes on the clock, Chelsea broke the deadlock. Reece James delivered a teasing free-kick into the middle, as the ball went in off the unfortunate Andrei Coubis.
The Blues soon doubled their advantage a mere three minutes later when Pedro Neto whipped in a brilliant cross towards Joao Pedro, who guided a perfectly placed header past Maignan - the Brazilian scoring his second in as many games.
Cucurella then came close for the West Londoners as the left-back's strike on the edge of the area deflected wide. Maresca's men were playing some excellent football in the early exchanges, as some perfect link-up play between Neto and Palmer resulted in the Portuguese international firing a shot straight at Maignan.
With just over a third of the first half gone, AC Milan threatened for the first time when Leao played through Alexis Saelemaekers, whose effort stung the palms of Sanchez before the rebound was missed by Leao.
However, Milan's afternoon soon went from bad to worse when Coubis was shown a straight red card for bringing down Pedro just outside the 18-yard box. From the resulting free-kick, a superb effort from Palmer was put just wide of the post.
Chelsea's number ten then had another opportunity from a dead ball situation, with the ball whistling past the right hand post. The chances continued to keep on coming for the Blues when Caicedo picked up possession on the halfway line before sliding through Gittens, whose left footed shot hit the side netting.
Palmer came close once again to scoring after Enzo Fernandez fizzed in a perfectly placed cross into the 23-year-old, whose audacious volley was put wide. Chelsea showed no signs of taking their foot off the gas as the ten men Rossoneri struggled to get a foothold in the game.
Meanwhile, before the break, Milan had the ball in the back of the net when Filippo Terracciano's cross was headed home by Leao, only for the flag to be raised for offside which very much summed up their first half performance.
The Italian giants were starting to find some rhythm as Davide Bartesaghi pushed forward on the counterattack before playing through Leao, whose effort was comfortable for Sanchez. Another chance then went begging for Milan after a mazy run from Saelemaekers resulted in the Belgian firing off-target.
In the opening stages of the second half, Milan substitute Luka Modric showed plenty of energy by making an excellent run towards goal, only for his shot to be comfortably held by the goalkeeper.
The away side almost pulled a goal back when Leao played through Youssouf Fofana, who rounded Sanchez before seeing his shot blocked. Chelsea then pushed forward straight up the other end, with Palmer sliding through Gittens, who shot wide of the target.
Cucurella then won back possession on the edge of the penalty area before unselfishly setting up Fernandez, with the Argentine's shot drawing a fine save from Maignan. The Blues were beginning to show the same energy they showed in the first half when Neto's cross reached Gittens, but the winger failed to find the target.
Midway through the second half, Chelsea were awarded a penalty when substitute Liam Delap crossed towards Estavao at the backpost, who was bundled over - giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Delap slotted home from twelve yards to make it 3-0.
However, minutes later, the ten men of Milan managed to pull a goal back when Saelemaekers played through Fofana, who applied the finish from close range. Estevao nearly restored Chelsea's three goal advantage as his powerful drive was pushed away by Maignan.
The youngster then had another opportunity when his backpost header was put onto the roof of the net. In the closing stages of the game, Delap scored his second of the afternoon after latching onto a pass from Andrey Santos before rifling the ball into the bottom left corner.
There was plenty to enjoy about Chelsea's performance with many impressing just a week before the Premier League season. However, as he has done so plenty of times, it was Cole Palmer who showed plenty of excitement.
Palmer was everywhere across the midfield, putting in a solid shift by creating opportunties for the forward line as well as helping out defensively. Chelsea's number ten was unlucky to have not scored having put two excellent free-kick's wide but it was a strong showing nonetheless.