Chelsea FC got back to winning ways in Xabi Alonso's first preseason, picking up a comfortable 3–0 victory over AC Milan in Jakarta on Saturday. The first half was an entertaining watch as both sides regularly flew forwards in search of the opening goal. Milan had their moments but Chelsea were clearly on top and should have had at least one goal by the time João Pedro landed a scruffy header in the back of the net on the cusp of half time.

What happened?

The first half was an entertaining watch as both sides regularly flew forwards in search of the opening goal. Milan had their moments but Chelsea were clearly on top and should have had at least one goal by the time João Pedro landed a scruffy header in the back of the net on the cusp of half time.

Why it matters for Chelsea FC

The change to a 3-4-2-1 formation also gave summer signing Marco Palestra the opportunity to truly show why he was signed this summer, and he definitely seized that chance. Palestra flew forward at every given opportunity and was often involved in central areas, but perhaps most intriguingly, he did so from the left side of Chelsea's midfield, flashing the versatility that helped make him so valuable.

What comes next?

It was a composed performance all-around for Chelsea, who are back in action in less than 24 hours against Malaysian outfit Johor Darul Ta'zim. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 10th in Premier League, 52 pts, 14W-10D-14L from 38 games, recent form LWDLL. Goals this season: 58 scored, 52 conceded (+6 goal difference). Title race: 33 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea's set-piece threat was also on full display, with Pedro finding himself unmarked to head home the opener, while Roméo Lavia's decision to send a corner kick led to the second goal. The front three of Pedro, Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck were particularly fluid in the first half, when Chelsea also appeared to look more comfortable with three natural center backs-Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong-on the pitch.

Acheampong Proves His Worth

Playing in a three-man defense also seemed to benefit young Acheampong, whose potential has long been clear despite a handful of shaky performances when drafted into the senior side. Acheampong started on the right side of Chelsea's back three, where he faced up against the dangerous Rafael Leão. Perhaps benefiting from the extra security around him, the teenager put in a truly stellar showing, including an excellent challenge to deny the winger in the first half.

Alonso Changes Formation

Ever since Alonso arrived, questions have been asked about his preferred formation. We've seen 4-2-3-1 up to this point, but Saturday's game brought the introduction of the 3-4-2-1 that served him so well at Bayer Leverkusen-and caused his counterpart, Ruben Amorim, so many problems at Manchester United. The front three of Pedro, Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck were particularly fluid in the first half, when Chelsea also appeared to look more comfortable with three natural center backs-Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong-on the pitch.

Big Calls at Wing Back

The change to a 3-4-2-1 also gave summer signing Marco Palestra the opportunity to truly show why he was signed this summer, and he definitely seized that chance. Palestra flew forward at every given opportunity and was often involved in central areas, but perhaps most intriguingly, he did so from the left side of Chelsea's midfield, flashing the versatility that helped make him so valuable. On the right, it was natural winger Pedro Neto who got the nod from the start. The Portugal international put in a real shift and made his presence known with a nice cross to set up Chelsea's second goal of the day. Geovany Quenda replaced Neto for the final 30 minutes. More familiar with the role from his time under Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP, he often combined with Palestra to prove Alonso definitely has plenty of options to choose from if he sticks with this formation.