CHELSEA conclude their US pre-season tour with a tough test against Champions League serial winners Real Madrid TONIGHT.
The Blues will be desperate to bounce back from a 4-2 loss at the hands of Manchester City.
While Madrid’s last encounter also ended in defeat to bitter rivals Barcelona.
- Kick-off time: 12am BST
- Live stream/TV: Chelsea TV
- Chelsea team: Jorgensen, James, Badiashile, Colwill, Gusto, Lavia, Enzo, Nkunku, Madueke, Guiu, Sterling
- Real Madrid team: Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Fran Garcia, Mario Martin, Modric, Ceballos, Rodrygo, Brahim, Vinicius Jr
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How Chelsea players rated – SUBSTITUTES
Mykhailo Mudryk – 5: A vintage Mudryk display – lots of great work getting to the box and absolutely no end product once he arrived.
Moises Caicedo – 6: More minutes for a player Maresca feels will be crucial if he is to succeed this season – looked sharp on the ball and kept the tempo up.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 6: A couple of bright moments on the ball and good runs in behind but not the greatest impact from the summer signing.
Wesley Fofana – 6: Brought on in the unusual role of right-back but did not look out of place and was untroubled.
How Chelsea players rated – FORWARDS
Raheem Sterling – 6: Looks very comfortable in this new system, having thrived in similar roles at Manchester City. A couple of nearly moments going forwards and caused Real a few problems.
Marc Guiu – 5: Put in a lot of work to lead the line but lacked a cutting edge and had to work with limited service.
How Chelsea players rated – MIDFIELDERS
Romeo Lavia – 6: Continues to look confident and impressive on the ball, trying to dictate games from the middle. Could have offered more cover to the defence at times.
Noni Madueke – 7: One of Chelsea’s best performers on this tour of America. Scored his third goal in five games with a well-timed header and was a constant threat down the right.
Enzo Fernandez – 6: Looked much more comfortable than the last two games and provided a superb assist for Madueke’s goal.
Christopher Nkunku – 6: Looking sharper with each game though struggled to look as dangerous in the final third as he has been. Looks a very good fit for Maresca’s style of play.
How Chelsea players rated – DEFENDERS
Filip Jorgensen – 5: Unfortunate for the first goal but probably could have done more to stop Diaz for Real Madrid’s second.
Reece James – 5: Struggled a lot up against Vinicius Jr at times, though did make one fine first half tackle on the Brazilian. Defensively very questionable at times and rarely got forwards.
Levi Colwill – 5: Made a great last ditch challenge to stop Vinicius Jr early on but looked lost defensively at times as the game went on.
Benoit Badiashile – 5: Lack of energy at the back making it far too easy for Real to get through at times.
Malo Gusto – 6: Definitely still adapting to a new role on the left and playing in the middle on the ball. Got caught out in transition at times and was wasteful in possession but improved significantly in the second half.
FT: Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
A decent enough game to round off the US tour for both sides.
The first half in particular could and should have yielded more goals than it did.
Lucas Vazquez’s deflected effort and a tidy Brahim Diaz finish had Madrid in a two-goal lead.
Five minutes before half-time, Noni Madueke got on the end of an Enzo Fernandez cross to head home and put the Blues back in it.
They created little of note in the second period as both sides made a host of changes and it finished how the second half started.
FULL TIME
The two teams have a plane to catch so the referee brings the game to an end.
Full Time: Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
89. Fofana intercepts the latest Madrid cross from the left, again sending the ball spiraling behind for a Madrid corner.
Paz’s ball is good this time but Latasa’s near-post header flies a couple of yards over.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
89. The cross doesn’t beat the first man as Chelsea get it clear to halfway.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
88. Madrid are almost in again after a clever, low through ball.
The ball across goal is cut out in the middle but sent behind for a Madrid corner.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
88. Goodness me. Madueke goes for curl and power and sends it flying well high and well, well wide.
About as bad a free kick as I can remember seeing.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
87. Good chance for Chelsea this.
A free kick, ten yards from the byline wide on their attacking right.
The big boys are up.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
85. What a tackle to prevent an almost-certain goal!
Mudryk and Enzo work a good one-two, with the winger inside the box on the left and trying to work it onto his right foot.
Asencio slides across and wins the ball to prevent him bearing down on goal.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
84. Nico Paz has looked incredibly silky since coming on. What a good football player.
He’s involved plenty in the latest Madrid attack, eventually working a clever 1-2 with Mario Martin, who smashes a shot just wide from the edge of the area.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
81. Luka Modric is given a standing ovation by almost all inside this arena as he makes his way off.
Lorenzo replacing him.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
79. Chelsea attack at pace through Mudryk and he does well in a 1v2 situation out wide to win a corner.
It’s taken short to him but his clipped cross is headed to safety.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
78. Madrid win a corner down their left hand side, just moments after they thought they might’ve had a penalty.
Lucas Vazquez’s header on the edge of the box does hit Mudryk’s arm but it’s never a penalty.
Nothing comes of the corner either.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
75. Over 62,600 in attendance, the announcer has told us.
Not bad at all, that.
On the park, Nico Pax lets fly with a shot from 25 yards but it’s straight at Jorgensen who gets down to collect it.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
75. Madueke with a good chance to run at Rudiger, who it out of position at left back.
The big defender just stands up and allows Madueke to almost trip over his own feet before getting it to safety.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
73. Still 2-1 Madrid with not much happening since those multiple changes were made.
A theme of pre-season, you have to say. And probably fair enough.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
70. Another Chelsea change as Reece James is replaced by Wesley Fofana.
Enzo Fernandez is handed the armband.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
68. Changes aplenty midway through the half as Dewsbury-Hall replaces Guiu for Chelsea.
Madrid changes:
- OFF: Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo & Militao
- ON: Paz, Latasa & Asencio
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
65. Quality close control again from Vinicius Jr, who looks like being one of a handful of players to be subbed off shortly.
He picks up a pass on the left and sits Madueke down driving on his outside.
He cuts it back but only finds Fernandes who positioned himself well.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
63. This attack kind of sums up Mudryk at the minute.
He does well to intercept just inside his own half but driving 30 yards with the ball to get to the edge of the area.
Then, around 20 yards from goal, who fires wildly at goal, sending it probably 20 yards over the bar.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
62. Gusto still operating this inverted left-full back role.
Remains to be seen whether he’ll be a permanent fixture in the Blues team and if he’s good enough for that role.
A couple of good touches in the middle are wasted by a poor cross-field pass this time, though.
Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid
59. Chelsea just threatening a couple of times in quick succession.
First Lunin has to deal with a dangerous ball into the box.
Then Chelsea press well through Caicedo before Guiu collects 20 yards from goal but his shot is straight down the keeper’s throat.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
