Chelsea’s Xabi Alonso bounce back: Joao Pedro’s double vs Milan

Chelsea’s pre-season reboot under Xabi Alonso arrived in Jakarta on Saturday night. Two goals from Joao Pedro, a first competitive clean sheet of the tour, and a tactical switch to 3-4-3 dismantled AC Milan as the new manager’s project took its clearest shape yet. The 3-0 victory ended a run of two defeats in three games and offered the first tangible proof that Alonso’s ideas are taking hold.

A new system, a new rhythm

Alonso dispensed with the hybrid 4-2-3-1 that Chelsea had used in Australia and Hong Kong and reverted to the 3-4-3 that defined his Real Madrid Castilla side. The change brought immediate clarity. Marco Palestra, deployed as a left wing-back, provided width and defensive cover, while the front three moved in unison to overload Milan’s back line. Alonso’s set-piece coach Austin McPhee has already left his imprint: Chelsea’s first two goals came from corners, a pattern that could shape their early Premier League fixtures.

The opening goal arrived in the 45+2nd minute when Moises Caicedo’s delivery found Joao Pedro unmarked at the far post. Pedro’s glancing header broke a deadlock that had lasted 42 minutes, during which Milan’s first real save of note came from Pedro Neto in the 27th minute. Within 60 seconds of the restart, Pedro doubled the lead at the back post, converting Pedro Neto’s in-swinging cross with a composed finish. Caicedo completed the scoring in the 49th minute, turning home another corner delivery to cap a dominant first half.

Joao Pedro’s redemption

Pedro arrived at Stamford Bridge amid questions about his finishing. Against Milan, he answered them emphatically. His first effort, a first-time scoop from a tight angle in the 42nd minute, flew over the bar, but he made no mistake when it mattered. Two minutes later, he made up for the miss by converting Caicedo’s corner. Then, within a minute of the restart, he pounced on a loose ball in the box to slide the second past Lorenzo Torriani. The performance silenced early criticism and underlined why Alonso has kept faith in the Brazilian despite limited minutes last season.

The victory also offered a morale boost after defeats to Tottenham and Juventus in pre-season. Chelsea’s previous friendly against Juventus ended in a 1-0 loss in Hong Kong, with Edon Zhegrova’s strike deciding the game. The loss in Hong Kong followed a narrow defeat to Tottenham, leaving Alonso’s side with just one clean sheet in three matches before Jakarta. Against Milan, the Blues held firm for over an hour, with substitutes Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson both denied by the woodwork in the second half.

Alonso’s long-term vision

The tactical shift and Pedro’s goals are part of a broader pattern. Alonso has overhauled Chelsea’s transfer strategy, prioritising experience over youth in recent moves. The Blues have signed several older players this summer, a shift that has drawn scrutiny. Alonso’s rationale is simple: he wants leaders who can implement his system immediately. The early returns suggest the gamble may pay off. The new signings, combined with Alonso’s clear tactical identity, are beginning to take shape.

Alonso’s relationship with Liverpool looms large in this narrative. His former teammate Luis Garcia, now CEO of Johor Darul Ta’zim, will face Chelsea in Malaysia on Sunday. Garcia and Alonso go back to 2004, when they both joined Liverpool under Rafael Benitez. Garcia admitted the match will be a “monumental moment” for Malaysian football, while joking that he hopes Alonso’s Chelsea finish second to Liverpool next season. The reunion underscores the personal and professional bonds that define Alonso’s journey, from Anfield to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s victory in Jakarta was more than a friendly result. It was a statement of intent. Alonso’s 3-4-3 delivered control, Pedro’s goals provided the finishing touch, and the clean sheet offered a rare moment of stability. The Blues still have work to do before the Premier League curtain-raiser, but for the first time under Alonso, their pre-season feels like a foundation rather than a false start.