Chelsea v AC Milan was another scintillating preseason fixture. Chelsea produced a much-needed confidence boost in their preseason campaign as they swept aside AC Milan 3-0 in Jakarta, with Joao Pedro scoring twice before captain Moises Caicedo added a spectacular third goal shortly after half-time.

After suffering consecutive friendly defeats against Tottenham and Juventus, Chelsea needed a convincing performance to restore some momentum ahead of the new Premier League season, and their display against Milan provided plenty of encouragement for Xabi Alonso.

The Blues controlled large portions of the contest at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and created enough opportunities to have won by an even wider margin, while Milan struggled to produce a meaningful response once Chelsea established their advantage. Here is the analysis of Chelsea v AC Milan.

Chelsea v AC Milan delivers a much-needed response

The opening stages of Chelsea v AC Milan were dominated by the English side, although Chelsea initially struggled to convert their superiority into goals.

Joao Pedro was presented with two clear-cut opportunities during the first half, but the Brazil forward was unable to take either chance. His persistence eventually paid off in stoppage time, however, when he finally found the breakthrough Chelsea had been searching for.

With two minutes added to the first half, an inswinging corner found Joao Pedro six yards from goal, and the forward made no mistake with his header, sending Chelsea into the interval with a 1-0 advantage.

The goal was particularly important for a Chelsea side looking to build confidence after their disappointing results against Tottenham and Juventus, and it gave Alonso’s team a platform from which to take control of the second half.

Joao Pedro doubles Chelsea’s advantage

Chelsea needed only seconds of the second half to extend their lead, with Joao Pedro once again finding the back of the net to complete an impressive individual performance.

From Chelsea’s first attack after the restart, Pedro Neto delivered a curling cross towards the far post, where Joao Pedro was able to force the ball beyond Milan goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani.

The goal made it 2-0 and gave Joao Pedro a remarkable run of scoring form during Chelsea’s preseason preparations.

The Brazil international had already produced a sensational nine-minute hat-trick against Western Sydney Wanderers, and his two goals against Milan continued his impressive contribution in front of goal.

Having missed two opportunities earlier in the match, Joao Pedro showed the finishing ability that Chelsea will hope to see regularly once competitive football begins.

Chelsea v AC Milan: Caicedo adds a stunning third

Milan had barely recovered from Chelsea’s second goal when the Blues struck again, with Moises Caicedo producing one of the standout moments of the match.

Four minutes after Joao Pedro’s second, a partially cleared corner fell towards Caicedo on the edge of the penalty area. The Chelsea captain reacted quickly, striking a superb volley with the outside of his right boot that flew into the far corner.

The finish gave Torriani little chance and completed a dominant spell for Chelsea, who had turned a narrow half-time advantage into a commanding 3-0 lead within five minutes of the restart.

Caicedo’s goal was also a fitting contribution from a player who wore the captain’s armband as Chelsea continued their preparations under Alonso.

Chelsea show signs of improvement under Alonso

The result will provide encouragement for Alonso after Chelsea’s earlier preseason setbacks, particularly because the performance was considerably more convincing than the defeats against Tottenham and Juventus.

The Blues looked comfortable for much of the contest and maintained control even after establishing their three-goal advantage, while Milan, coached by former Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, struggled to create the kind of sustained attacking pressure that could have changed the outcome.

Chelsea could even have won by a larger margin, with Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson both hitting the woodwork as the Blues continued to threaten.

For Alonso, the victory therefore offered more than simply another preseason result, because the manner of the performance suggested that Chelsea are beginning to find greater rhythm before the competitive campaign gets underway.

Chelsea finish preseason against Johor Darul Ta’zim

The victory over Milan leaves Chelsea with one final fixture before their attention turns fully towards the new Premier League campaign.

The Blues will conclude their preseason schedule on Sunday against Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim, with the match scheduled to begin at 13:00 BST.

That final friendly will give Alonso another opportunity to assess his squad, experiment with his preferred combinations and build further momentum before Chelsea’s first competitive league fixture.

The opening Premier League assignment will come on 24 August, when Chelsea face Fulham.

For a team entering a new era under Alonso, the preparation period has produced mixed results, but this 3 nil victory was easily one of the more encouraging performances.

Chelsea head into new season with renewed confidence

The significance of Chelsea v AC Milan ultimately extends beyond the scoreline, because Chelsea needed a performance capable of restoring belief after two successive friendly defeats.

Joao Pedro provided the attacking spark with his two goals, Caicedo delivered a spectacular finish of his own, and Chelsea’s overall control ensured Milan never found a route back into the contest.

There is still work for Alonso and his players to complete before the Premier League season begins, but this was a timely reminder of the quality within the Chelsea squad.

With one more preseason fixture remaining, Chelsea can now approach the final stage of their preparations with greater confidence, knowing that their response against Milan has provided a strong foundation on which to build.