Chelsea lastly performed their first pre-season pleasant as they beat Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen with their model new wonderkid Estevao Willian beginning and scoring.
Their first Premier League opponents will likely be Crystal Palace, for instance, and Oliver Glasner’s aspect performed their first behind-closed-doors pleasant in opposition to Millwall on July 12.
That was a day earlier than Chelsea performed Paris Saint-Germain within the Membership World Cup in the USA on July 13 adopted by a three-week break.
Right here, Day by day Mail Sport’s Chelsea correspondent Kieran Gill reveals 5 issues he realized from this Friday night time fixture at Stamford Bridge.
ESTE-WOW IS WORTH THE WAIT
Chelsea’s supporters needed to wait a protracted whereas for Estevao Willian. Fourteen months to be actual, because it was in Might 2024 when the membership confirmed that they had signed a Brazilian wonderkid who would arrive from Palmeiras as soon as 18 years outdated.
Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen of their first pre-season match
Objectives from model new wonderkid Estevao Willian and Joao Pedro acquired the job performed for the Blues
Enzo Maresca’s aspect dominated at Stamford Bridge, logging 24 pictures in comparison with Leverkusen’s 4, and controlling 70 per cent of possession
In that point, that they had seen so many clips of his mercurial brilliance, together with on the Membership World Cup when he scored in opposition to Chelsea from what regarded like an unimaginable angle.
Right here, he took 17 minutes to attain for them. He spent the primary half on the correct wing, the second half at No 10, and for all of the mocking of Chelsea’s switch technique, this boy from Brazil appears that particular kind of expertise for whom you’ll fortunately pay the admission charge to observe.
MAD MARC IS A SCRAPPER
Brighton chief government Paul Barber held a fan Q&A session this week and when requested on Chelsea, he jokingly described them as ‘my finest buyer’ after so many gross sales.
Marc Cucurella is not the £63million waste of cash he was as soon as thought-about, nonetheless. He’s Chelsea’s cult hero who doesn’t seem to know the that means of the phrase ‘pleasant’.
Cucurella was getting caught into Leverkusen right here and when Jarell Quansah left a naughty deal with in on Palmer, who was there to present the previous Liverpool defender a chunk of his thoughts? Cucurella, after all. Hearsay has it Chelsea might reward him with an up to date contract quickly.
NO NICO, BUT CHELSEA HAVE STRIKER OPTIONS
Liam Delap began as Chelsea’s striker whereas Joao Pedro scored after approaching instead. Nicolas Jackson was nowhere to be seen after Day by day Mail Sport revealed he had been excluded from the squad for this pleasant whereas the membership work on promoting him.
Estevao Willian appears that particular kind of expertise for whom you’ll fortunately pay the admission charge to observe
Marc Cucurella is not the £63m waste of cash he was as soon as thought-about, and is Chelsea’s cult hero
Chelsea survived with out Nicolas Jackson, who was excluded from the squad whereas the membership work on promoting him
If Jackson does depart as anticipated, Chelsea might not must seek for a emergency third-choice striker, even when Marc Guiu has been loaned to Sunderland. Maresca believes Estevao could possibly be used as a false 9 together with Palmer and Pedro Neto if want be.
COVER FOR COLWILL
Levi Colwill’s ACL damage suffered of their first coaching session again in pre-season was devastating information for Chelsea given how essential he was to their final marketing campaign.
They’re contemplating whether or not they should make a transfer for a central defender this month, however Josh Acheampong was used because the left-sided centre again right here. It is a crucial place beneath Maresca as that participant is anticipated to shuffle throughout when the left again inverts into midfield. Acheampong, 19, carried out effectively, with Aaron Anselmino, 20, changing him late on.
Jorrel Hato may also be used as a left-sided centre again in addition to a left again, which is the place the £37m signing from Ajax performed right here after changing Cucurella at half-time.
MIDFIELD MEN HERE TO HELP
There was no Romeo Lavia within the Chelsea squad after he picked up one more damage through the Membership World Cup and final season noticed a heavy reliance on Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in midfield.
They wanted assist for the following marketing campaign and so they now have that in Dario Essugo and Andrey Santos, the 21-year-old Brazilian who final season loved a wonderful mortgage with their sister membership Strasbourg in France.
Chelsea are contemplating whether or not they should make a transfer for a central defender this month after Levi Colwill’s ACL damage
Santos’ return for the forthcoming season is an enormous cause why Chelsea allowed Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor to go away for Everton in a £25million everlasting transfer this week.
Chelsea marked their return to motion following final month’s Membership World Cup triumph with a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen of their penultimate pre-season outing.
In a lop-sided match at Stamford Bridge, the Blues made an early breakthrough within the first half when Estevao discovered the online on 18 minutes.
