Chelsea v Leverkusen preview
Lower than a month after beating Paris Saint-Germain within the Membership World Cup remaining in New Jersey, Chelsea play their first pre-season sport 9 days prematurely of their Premier League opener.
Enzo Maresca sealed a return to the Champions League on the ultimate day of his first season in cost and the Italian doesn’t know the way sharp his squad might be throughout an uncommon build-up to the brand new marketing campaign.
“The main target was simply to permit the gamers to recuperate,” mentioned Maresca, whose staff host Crystal Palace on August 17 (14:00 BST / 09:00 ET / 06:00 PT). “It’s unusual, it’s totally different and I actually don’t know.
“I’m curious as a result of Palace began [preparing] the day after we completed within the USA. We had three weeks off, now we’ve got two friendlies in three days after which we are going to [start] the Premier League.
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“The temper is a lot better as a result of we completed the season sturdy. That’s going to present gamers extra vitality and extra enhance.
“We’ll see if we attempt troublesome issues by way of techniques for the season. I may see, over the past two or three days, the place we’re bodily.”
Leverkusen have gained three friendlies in a row beneath former Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag, who succeeded Xabi Alonso following his massively profitable predecessor’s swap to Actual Madrid.
A distant second of their Bundesliga title defence final season, Ten Hag’s facet adopted up a 2-0 victory at Bochum and a 2-1 win at Fortuna Sittard by thrashing Pisa 3-0 on the BayArena on Tuesday.
“It was an excellent sport and we noticed some superb issues,” Ten Hag mentioned after his first non-competitive dwelling sport in cost, through Bild.
“We’re a strong staff. We’ve got an excellent basis, however we have to enhance. There are particular parts of the sport that we have to work on.
“We’ve got to get the appropriate gamers; not simply amount but additionally high quality. And I got here right here to Leverkusen as a result of I’ve a number of confidence within the board that they’ll usher in the appropriate gamers.”
Ten Hag, who was sacked by United final October, referred to as the sport towards Chelsea “the hardest take a look at”.
“In the mean time, we don’t have the appropriate squad by way of gamers,” added the Dutchman. “Chelsea have two dressing rooms’ full.”
Chelsea v Leverkusen staff information
Maresca mentioned he’s going to attempt to share minutes between all of his gamers however the Blues have been rocked with a critical knee harm for first-choice defender Levi Colwill.
“We have to wait and see,” he mentioned. “We all know how necessary Levi was final yr. He was a fundamental participant for us.”
Wesley Fofana, who was Chelsea’s beginning centre-back alongside Colwill in the beginning of 2024/25, is near getting back from a long-term lay-off.
“Wes is again and coaching with us,” reported Maresca. “I don’t suppose he’s able to get minutes within the subsequent two video games however he can most likely be prepared for Palace, which is huge information.”
Centre-back Benoit Badiashile and midfielders Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia are additionally out however new signings together with forwards Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, wingers Estevao and Jamie Gittens and left-back Jorrel Hato may characteristic for the membership at Stamford Bridge for the primary time.
Leverkusen’s Martin Terrier is but to return from an Achilles tear the French foward suffered in January.
Edmond Tapsoba was despatched off towards Pisa for a foul denying a transparent scoring alternative however the centre-back is not going to be suspended.
Ten Hag mentioned he would have despatched on ahead Victor Boniface, who’s constructing his health, had Tapsoba not been dismissed.
Brazilian right-back Arthur is a doubt after being substituted with a knock towards Pisa, however Piero Hincapie made a profitable return from harm in that sport.
Fellow defender Jarell Quansah may play his first sport in England since becoming a member of Leverkusen from Liverpool in July for an preliminary £30 million, whereas goalkeeper Mark Flekken is more likely to be again in London, having signed for a reported payment of round £7.8m from Brentford in July.
Ahead Patrik Schick, who was a part of Leverkusen’s unbeaten German home double-winning squad through the 2023/24 season, signed a brand new contract this week lasting till 2030.
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Chelsea v Leverkusen anticipated line-ups
Chelsea beginning XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Pedro Neto; Joao Pedro
Leverkusen beginning XI: Flekken; Tape, Tapsoba, Hincapie; Adli, Palacios, Andrich, Grimaldo; Maza, Tella; Kofane
Is Chelsea v Leverkusen on TV? Reside on-line stream, channel
Kick-off on Friday is at 19:00 BST (14:00 ET / 11:00 ET), with free-to-air stay protection within the UK on Channel 5, which is on channel 105 on Freeview HD, Sky and Virgin Media.
Protection begins half-hour earlier than kick-off, and followers can watch on-line and on the transfer on an enormous number of gadgets through Channel 5’s website and the 5 app.
5 will even be displaying Chelsea’s dwelling pleasant towards Milan on Sunday, which kicks off at 15:00 BST / 12:00 ET / 09:00 PT.
DAZN might be broadcasting each video games stay in a number of areas world wide, with full particulars out there here.
Chelsea v Leverkusen stats
- The edges traded dwelling wins through the group stage of Chelsea’s superb 2011/12 Champions League marketing campaign, Leverkusen coming from behind to prevail 2-1 earlier than the Blues gained 2-0 courtesy of David Luiz and Juan Mata objectives.
- Chelsea have gained 5 successive matches towards European opponents since a 2-1 dwelling defeat to Legia Warszawa on April 17, though they went by means of 4-2 on combination regardless of that outcome and proceeded to win the Convention League.
- That they had did not win any of their earlier 5 aggressive fixtures towards German opposition earlier than a 2-0 dwelling win over Borussia Dortmund to succeed in the 2022/23 Champions League quarter-finals.
- Maresca’s facet had been unbeaten of their remaining 10 Premier League dwelling video games of final season, successful eight of their final 9.
- Since a 2-0 dwelling defeat to Manchester Metropolis of their first sport of final season, Chelsea have scored in 27 consecutive video games at Stamford Bridge in all competitions.
- Thursday marked a yr since Leverkusen’s final go to to London, shedding a pleasant 4-1 at Arsenal.
- Their 4-0 defeat at Liverpool in final season’s Champions League group stage meant Leverkusen have misplaced 13 and gained 5 of their 24 aggressive conferences with English golf equipment, scoring 25 objectives and conceding 47.
- Their report of their final 11 such encounters is extra even, incomes 4 wins and three attracts.
- Die Werkself have misplaced eight of their 11 aggressive away video games in England, successful as soon as.
- Leverkusen had been unbeaten away in final season’s Bundesliga however have misplaced three successive away video games in Europe since a 1-1 draw at Brest final October, scoring as soon as throughout these matches.
Chelsea v Leverkusen prediction
Assessing both facet is difficult. Leverkusen ought to be sharper after weeks of preparation, however Chelsea may take into account their two video games this weekend notably necessary with their season beginning every week earlier than Leverkusen kick off at dwelling to Hoffenheim (August 23, 14:30 BST / 09:30 ET / 06:30 ET).
Given the unpredictability of the groups and depth, the most secure prediction appears a 1-1 draw, as was the rating when Chelsea hosted Inter in a pre-season dwelling pleasant final August.
