Sometimes, a pre-season friendly gives us a sneak peek into the season ahead. The clash between Chelsea and AC Milan at Stamford Bridge was one of those times. It was the final tune-up for both teams, but it felt more like a dress rehearsal for two very different plays. Chelsea showed they are ready for prime time. Milan, on the other hand, looked like a team with some serious holes to fill before the curtain rises.
The talk of the town before the match was Luka Modric. The 39-year-old former Real Madrid star finally pulled on a Milan shirt for the first time. But his debut was overshadowed by a crushing 4-1 defeat for his new team. It was a tough welcome to London for the Croatian legend.
Milan’s defense had a nightmare start. The worst of it fell on 21-year-old Romanian central defender Andrei Coubis. He was making his first start and won’t forget it soon. Just five minutes in, he scored an own goal, putting Chelsea ahead. Then, disaster struck again in the 18th minute. Coubis saw a straight red card for stopping João Pedro, who was clear on goal. Milan’s coach, Allegri, was already worried about his defense since Thiaw moved to Newcastle for 40 million euros. After this game, it’s clear Milan needs more central defenders. Belgian player De Winter from Genoa is on his way, but Milan needs another top-tier name.
Modric, who came on at halftime, tried to make an impact. He managed one shot that Chelsea’s goalkeeper Sánchez saved easily. Milan’s coach spoke about Modric afterward, saying he is “an important player who will do well at the club.” But on the night, Modric couldn’t change the game’s flow. Rafael Leão played the full 90 minutes as the lone striker for Milan. He looked very isolated up front, unable to break through Chelsea’s strong defense.
Chelsea, meanwhile, simply took advantage of Milan’s troubles. Pedro Neto, a recent Club World Cup champion, started for Chelsea. He set up the second goal for João Pedro in the 8th minute. João Pedro is a Brazilian forward who used to play for Brighton. His replacement, Liam Delap, entered the game in the 60th minute and put on a scoring clinic. Delap scored twice. His first came in the 67th minute from a penalty. Musah fouled the young talent Estêvão, leading to the spot kick. Delap then added another goal in the 90th minute, capping off a great performance. Milan did get a consolation goal in the 70th minute from Youssouf Fofana. Dario Essugo also came on for Chelsea in the 73rd minute.
Now, the real games begin. Next week, Chelsea faces a motivated Crystal Palace on Sunday to kick off the Premier League season. Milan will host Bari on Saturday in the Coppa Italia. This friendly served as a stark reminder for Milan about the work still ahead. For Chelsea, it was a confident statement of intent.