One player had a special display as Liam Delap scored two goals in a ruthless performance. His influence underpinned Chelsea’s 4-1 signing off victory against AC Milan in their last pre-season warm up. That day’s FA Cup first round replay was held at Stamford Bridge, underlining Delap’s emergence as one of the Blues’ new wave of young striking talent. This triumph comes off the back of a 2-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen, rounding off an impressive pre-season campaign for the team in red and white.
Delap, who had come off the bench to replace Joao Pedro, went to work right away. He opened the scoring with a well-placed penalty. The ball whizzed across horizontally low to the right, past the outstretched AC Milan goalkeeper, Mike Maignan. This quickfire goal was the spark that ignited Chelsea’s blistering display.
A Strong Finish with Clinical Precision
Delap did not stop at one goal. He scored his second with a clinical first-time finish, beautifully teed up by Andrey Santos. The overall play and the final score aside, what stood out was the young players’ remarkable synergy. This further emphasizes how deep Chelsea’s talent is heading into the new season.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, said after last night’s game that he was “very happy” with the contributions from both Delap and Pedro. He went on to explain why it was important to have more than one striker at peak performance.
“I don’t want to say competition, I think it is very good for Chelsea to have both strikers at a good level. In the last game, he did not score. Today, he scored two goals. I am very happy for him.” – Enzo Maresca
Chelsea’s dominant performance against AC Milan capped off an impressive pre-season run, with the team winning both of their recent friendlies.
Building Momentum Before the New Season
Chelsea’s pre-season came to an end a mere 28 days after they ended their 2023/24 season with an appearance in the Club World Cup final. The team is preparing for their Premier League opener with crystal clear belief and optimism. Reece James, looking back on last season, was obviously encouraged by the momentum that comes with hoisting two trophies.
“It is always a sign when you lift a trophy. We finished last season really strong with two trophies. It is a good feeling at the moment.” – Reece James
The last few matches have all been an indicator of Chelsea’s preparedness to handle the pressure and rigors of the new season. With a decisive 4–0 victory over rival AC Milan, they showed everyone their finesse and chemistry on the field.
Young Talent in Focus
Liam Delap’s performance against AC Milan has solidified his position as a key player to watch in Chelsea’s squad for the upcoming season. He is never far from the action, and when he gets close to the net, he is a world-class scoring talent. This incredible talent deeply impressed admiration on coach’s and fan’s faces.
Joao Pedro was the first to admit, as he today noted, that he is happy with his pre-season, scoring goals and helping the team’s cause.
“I am very happy to score at Stamford Bridge. I think I enjoyed this pre-season, two goals in two games. Now, we need to rest and start well in the Premier League.” – Joao Pedro
The energy and enthusiasm surrounding Chelsea is palpable! They are loudly confident about their Premier League campaign, parading a squad laden with expensive talent and the likes of teenage sensation, Liam Delap.
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