Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the US concluded with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Enzo Maresca’s team once again displayed defensive weaknesses, conceding the first goal after 19 minutes. Lucas Vazquez’s shot deflected into the bottom corner, despite Dani Ceballos’ attempts to intervene.
Just under 10 minutes later, Real Madrid doubled their lead. Brahim Diaz capitalized on a brilliant pass from Vinicius Jr, rounding Filip Jorgenson before slotting the ball home from an acute angle.
Noni Madueke managed to score a header to reduce the deficit for the Blues, but it was insufficient to avert a third defeat in five games under their new manager.
Here, Mail Sport’s Kieran Gill highlights the key takeaways from Chelsea’s final match in the US.
Brahim Diaz finished off a lovely pass from Vinicius Jr in what proved to be the winning goal
Noni Madueke did head home for Chelsea but it was not enough to prevent another defeat
The Blues will now head back to the UK after playing five matches in the US, winning only one
Chelsea’s high defensive line exposed
Chelsea’s high defensive line was repeatedly vulnerable against Real Madrid’s rapid players. A single ball behind the defense would swiftly lead to danger.
If Manchester City’s analysts review this match while preparing for their Premier League opener at Stamford Bridge, they will certainly take note.
Last season, we witnessed how Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham faltered whenever opponents executed passes over the top, and it appears that this could be a recurring issue for Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea as well.
Rodrygo (pictured) amongst others got a lot of joy by getting in behind the Chelsea high line
Maresca’s preferred players
Reece James, Romeo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku are the only three players to have started all five friendlies for Chelsea during their time in the United States. This is notable as they are all players who faced significant injury challenges last season.
Lavia, in particular, has stood out this pre-season, showcasing his evolution into a deep playmaker with each outing.
Enzo Maresca has started Romeo Lavia (left) in all five of his pre-season matches as Blues boss
Impact of US pitches on the Blues?
In a conversation with Moises Caicedo on Monday, Chelsea’s £115 million midfielder candidly addressed the condition of the playing surfaces in the United States.
‘The pitches are quite dry,’ he remarked. ‘We understand we possess tremendous quality as players, but sometimes it doesn’t solely depend on us; the pitches also play a role.’
Caicedo’s name was absent from the lineup for this match, leading to assumptions he was being rested, but he was subsequently introduced in the second half.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson has yet to feature in the pre-season tour, although he participated fully in training on Monday, making a potential appearance against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge this weekend possible.
Moises Caicedo moaned about the state of the US pitches before the match with Real Madrid
Vinicius Jr as a commendable example
Reece James had a tough time against Vinicius Junior, but this is to be expected given Vinicius’ status as one of the world’s top wingers.
Vinicius exemplifies the caliber of development Chelsea aims for with their young signings prior to their 18th birthdays. Given time, he has blossomed into a genuine superstar.
Next summer, Chelsea is likely to include Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez on their tour.
Vinicus Jr’s development shows that Chelsea should be patient with a number of their stars
Continued transfer efforts required
Chelsea has significant work ahead in the transfer window.
This includes not only adding new players but also resolving the situations of outgoing players, as several individuals in their oversize roster have uncertain futures.
Ben Chilwell did not feature against Los Blancos after also not getting on versus Man City
Armando Broja is another who was snubbed by Maresca and could leave Chelsea this summer
Ben Chilwell is among those facing uncertainty, having barely played during the United States tour, with Maresca expressing doubts about his adaptability in the inverted role.
Similarly, Armando Broja was not included in the squad for this match.
