Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat by Juventus will not live long in the memory, but there were still a few useful clues for Xabi Alonso as pre-season continues.
It was, in truth, a flat game on another difficult pitch. Chelsea rarely found enough rhythm to seriously trouble Juventus and Edon Zhegrova’s second-half strike was enough to settle it.
Pre-season comes with obvious caveats, though. Results matter less than fitness, combinations and getting players through games safely.
On that front, Chelsea at least left Hong Kong without any fresh injuries.
There were also encouraging individual displays from Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Estevao and Moises Caicedo, even if the team performance never really caught fire.
The Evening Standard’s live coverage also highlighted Quenda’s bright first half and Estevao’s impact from the bench as Chelsea searched for a way back into the game.
Chelsea’s younger players continue to make their case
If there was a clear positive, it came from some of the newer and younger faces.
Palestra was adventurous from right-back and looked comfortable stepping forward whenever space opened up.
Quenda again showed why Chelsea have invested so heavily in his potential. He was willing to receive under pressure, carry the ball forward and attack his marker rather than simply recycle possession.
Nicoll-Jazuli also looked composed in midfield despite his age, while Estevao gave Chelsea more urgency after coming on. The Brazilian produced several sharp touches and was one of the few players capable of unsettling Juventus once they dropped deeper.
Caicedo was probably the safest performer of the lot. His reading of danger and ability to recover possession gave Chelsea a degree of control even when the game itself became scrappy.
The encouraging part for Alonso is that these are not isolated academy cameos. Several are genuinely pushing for roles when competitive football begins.
ReadChelsea’s pre-match team news showed how many senior players were still being managed carefully, which only increased the value of those opportunities.
Chelsea still struggle when teams close the space
The bigger concern was familiar.
Chelsea had plenty of the ball but too often struggled to turn possession into clear chances once Juventus settled into a compact shape.
That became more obvious after Zhegrova scored.
Juventus were happy to protect central areas, force Chelsea wide and wait for mistakes. Alonso’s side moved the ball but rarely shifted their opponents quickly enough to create gaps.
The Standard noted late on that Chelsea were struggling to find a way through Juventus’ defensive shape, with Essugo and Lavia finding it difficult to drive the team forward.
That is why another midfielder of real quality still feels necessary.
Chelsea have excellent individual talent, but they could use another player capable of controlling tempo, breaking lines and finding solutions when a game becomes congested.
ReadChelsea previously looked at Alonso’s remaining transfer priorities, including whether further midfield depth would be required after Andrey Santos’ departure.
Pre-season is too early for sweeping conclusions, but this is one issue worth watching.
No injuries may be the biggest win
There is also a danger in reading too much into one friendly.
Chelsea have travelled extensively, played on difficult surfaces and Alonso is still working with a squad at different stages of fitness.
The fact they came through another poor pitch without adding to the injury list is probably more important than the result.
Palmer and Colwill were already left out as precautions before kick-off, while other senior players are still being reintegrated after the World Cup and individual fitness programmes.
Alonso himself had spoken positively before the game about Chelsea building towards the new season, saying he had a “good feeling” about the direction of the group in his pre-Juventus comments on Chelsea’s official website.
The more revealing tests should come once Chelsea are back in the UK and Alonso has something closer to his full squad available.
For now, this was hardly inspiring. But it was pre-season.
A few players enhanced their reputations, nobody got hurt and Chelsea learned a little more about where the squad still needs improvement.
