Chelsea play their final game of pre-season against Udinese on Friday evening at the Dacia Arena before beginning their 2022/23 Premier League season.
Thomas Tuchel’s side begin their domestic campaign on 6 August against Everton at Goodison Park and have one game left to get themselves ready and in the best position possible for kick-off on Merseyside against Frank Lampard’s Toffees.
They returned to Cobham this week following the conclusion of their tour of the United States, a two-week trip which appeared to do more harm than good.
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However, it exposed what Chelsea really need to work on, including the urgency of arrivals being needed in west London. That was exactly the case following their 4-0 defeat to Arsenal, their third and penultimate game of pre-season, leaving Tuchel to find and present solutions ahead of his return to the training ground this week.
He admitted last weekend: "We fly home now and we have one-and-a-half days only, on Tuesday we need to present solutions, we need to present actions. Me and the coaching staff, together with the team, need to step up and find a way through this because it hurts at the moment."
Chelsea were given a much-needed boost when they reunited with N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Cobham after they were unable to travel to the United States due to their vaccination status.
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Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly made their first appearances at Cobham also this week ahead of the squad’s flight out to Italy for the friendly.
Tuchel will want to see more from his side in Italy on Friday after an uncommitted display from many of his players against Arsenal.
The Chelsea head coach blamed it on players looking at potential exit routes this summer, adding: “A level of mental commitment that we lacked because we have a lot of players who are thinking about leaving and looking at their options.
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"We have players that have left and I think at the moment that's obvious."
They will want to end pre-season on a high to go into the start of the season on a positive note to get off to a winning start in 2022-23.
When is the match?
It will take place on Friday 29th July at 8pm (UK) time.
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Where is the match?
The pre-season friendly will be held at the Dacia Arena, Udine, Italy.
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 - for the full list of countries, click here.
Matthew Debono