It's all change for Chelsea against Udinese this morning with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja three of the players coming into the Blues' starting XI for the behind-closed-doors friendly against the Serie A side at the Dacia Arena.
The two clubs faced off yesterday evening and Thomas Tuchel's side ran out 3-1 winners with N'Golo Kante, Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount on the scoresheet for Chelsea. It was the most impressive performance of pre-season to date.
However, with just a week until the Premier League campaign begins for the Blues against Everton at Goodison Park, it was decided that Chelsea should play another game in Udine to ensure every member of the first-team squad is as fit as can be for the season opener. It's why eleven changes have been made.
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Kepa Arrizabalaga, despite strong interest in the Spaniard from Napoli, comes into the starting XI for his first minutes in pre-season since the victory over Club America in Las Vegas. The back three, meanwhile, consists of Trevoh Chalobah, Ethan Ampadu and Malang Sarr.
Loftus-Cheek wasn't able to be part of Chelsea's pre-season tour of the USA due to his vaccination status but he gets his first senior minutes of pre-season in what appears to be a right-wing-back role. On the opposite flank is Ben Chilwell, who is continuing his slow comeback from a knee ligament injury sustained last November.
Mateo Kovacic and Conor Gallagher are the midfield duo while Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech are deployed in the two ten positions behind the striker, who is Armando Broja. The academy graduate's future has been the subject of much speculation during the summer but he has the chance to lay down a marker at Chelsea and establish himself in the first-team squad.
Chelsea: Kepa; Chalobah, Ampadu, Sarr; Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic, Gallagher, Chilwell; Ziyech, Broja, Pulisic
Chelsea substitutes: Bettinelli, Emerson, Gilmour, Kenedy, Hudson-Odoi, Vale
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