On August 5, 2023, Chelsea will take on Juventus in a friendly match at 18:30. This clash comes during a summer filled with changes for Chelsea, under new head coach Xabi Alonso, who is working to strengthen the squad's performance and fitness through a series of friendly matches.

Chelsea began their pre-season with an impressive 6-4 victory against Western Sydney, highlighted by a hat-trick from Joao Pedro in the final minutes. However, their momentum was halted shortly after, as they suffered a defeat to local rivals Tottenham in Australia during the Sydney Cup.

Following this setback, Chelsea has traveled to East Asia for a series of matches against Juventus in Hong Kong, AC Milan in Indonesia, and Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia over the next eight days. The last encounter between Chelsea and Juventus was in 2021, where Chelsea triumphed 4-0 at Stamford Bridge during the Champions League group stage. Historically, the two teams have faced each other six times since 2009, with both teams winning two matches, losing two, and drawing two.

As Chelsea prepares for this match, they have one win and one loss from their two pre-season games. Juventus, on the other hand, comes into this match with three unbeaten friendlies, including two victories. However, their opponents in these matches were not particularly strong, consisting of Basel, Standard Liege, and Nice.

In terms of squad availability, Chelsea will be without Enzo Fernandez, Lacroix, and Morgan Rogers, who are resting post-World Cup. Juventus will miss Jeff Ekhator and Khephren Thuram due to injuries.

The expected lineups for the match are as follows:

• Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Palestra, Acheampong, Colwill, Hato; Lavia, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Pedro
• Juventus (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; Celik, Locatelli, Luiz, Cambiaso; Zhegrova, Boga; Milik

Statistically, Juventus has shown solid defensive capabilities, having not conceded in their last three friendlies. Chelsea's experimental lineup may impact their attacking strength. Chelsea has struggled recently, with two losses and one draw in their last three matches, while Juventus has won their last two friendly encounters.

With the return of some key players, Chelsea aims to field a stronger team than in previous friendlies. However, the busy schedule may affect their performance. The predicted score for this match is a draw at 1-1.