Chelsea have reportedly arranged a behind-closed-doors friendly against Portsmouth this weekend, giving Xabi Alonso another opportunity to assess his squad before Premier League football resumes.
Football.london reporter Bobby Vincent identified the Championship club as Chelsea’s opponents, crediting the original reporting to the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill.
The Sun reports that £47m summer signing Marco Palestra is expected to get minutes in the fixture.
The Italian has yet to make his competitive Chelsea debut after a quadriceps injury disrupted the promising start he made during pre-season.
Chelsea Portsmouth friendly offers Palestra another step
ReadChelsea has already covered Palestra’s return to training at Cobham.
A match against outside opposition would give Alonso a different measure of his readiness, allowing the defender to build sharpness before competing for a Premier League place.
In an earlier club update on Palestra’s recovery, Alonso identified Bournemouth as a return target and described the player’s frustration at missing the opening weeks.
The proposed friendly also creates an opportunity to assess members of the senior group working at Cobham during the international break.
The reports do not provide a confirmed line-up or kick-off time.
Chelsea host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 10 October. Palestra’s involvement in that competitive fixture remains a selection decision for Alonso.
