Chelsea play their first match of their 2022 pre-season schedule against Club America in Las Vegas.
Thomas Tuchel’s side begin their preparations for the upcoming campaign on Sunday at the Allegiant Stadium against the Mexican outfit.
It will be the first time Tuchel will get to see his players in action since the return to training last month, and they will be welcomed by new signings Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Chelsea have a big squad out in America for their tour, taking an initial party of 29 before Sterling and Armando Broja joined up with the squad in Los Angeles for the training camp at the UCLA campus.
Advert
Changes are expected to be made throughout the game as individuals get given run outs in Las Vegas, a chance for Tuchel to see who is ready to stake a claim to be a regular in the side next season.
Sterling is unlikely to be involved despite training with his new teammates this week, while Broja, who joined up late to the squad due to paperwork issues amid transfer interest from West Ham, Everton and Newcastle United, picked up a minor injury and is receiving treatment.
Tuchel said on Broja: "He had a little accident yesterday in training with the ball control and landed in a funny way on his ankle and Achilles. He is in pain but nothing is injured – we did the examinations and it's just pain. He is lucky that he did not get injured. We are lucky and happy that he did not injure himself.
Advert
"He is not in training and he is in treatment, Armando. For Raheem, we have not decided the line up but he did not train every minute with the team so it is not very likely that he will play."
N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek won’t be involved after they didn’t travel to America last week because of their Covid vaccination status.
Thomas Tuchel commented on the matter, saying: "It would be much better if they were here. Can we force them to vaccinate? No, it's a personal decision. It's a decision most of people take.
Advert
"It seems that it's a decision that belongs to our lives now, and still it's their right to not do it. It does not help us as a team & them as professional football players. But we have to respect them.
"I simply refuse to point the finger and blame them, because this is not how we interact here at Chelsea.”
Chelsea’s opponents Club America have just begun their Liga MX campaign and head into the friendly off the back of a 1-0 win over Toluca.
It will be a tough test for the Blues as they raise their fitness levels, learning their foundation level ahead of the rest of the pre-season schedule.
When is the match?
It will take place on Sunday 17th July at 3am (UK) time.
Where is the match?
The pre-season friendly will be held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
How can I watch the match?
The fixture will be available to watch on the official Chelsea website, as well as the club’s 5th Stand App.
Matthew Debono