Chelsea are preparing for the latest fixture of their pre-season tour, with a fresh look expected for the visit of Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday, August 9, 2026, with kick-off set for 1pm BST. The match will be broadcast on CFC+.
Manager Xabi Alonso is likely to hand opportunities to a different group of players following a convincing performance against AC Milan in Jakarta, where Chelsea ran out comfortable winners. Joao Pedro was the standout performer in that game, scoring twice either side of half-time, while Moises Caicedo added a spectacular long-range strike to seal the victory for the Blues.
Alonso fielded a strong starting eleven against the Italian club, featuring several first-team regulars including Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto, Danny Welbeck, Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato. Every outfield starter was given at least 59 minutes of action, with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and defenders Romero Lavia, Marco Palestra and Josh Acheampong completing the full 90 minutes.
A host of squad players were introduced from the bench during that fixture, among them Geovany Quenda, Nicolas Jackson, Estevao, Mykhailo Mudryk, Reggie Watson, Mamadou Sarr and Aarón Anselmino. With most of that group already having featured heavily, they are not expected to be involved against Johor Darul Ta'zim, giving Alonso the chance to assess other members of his squad.
One exception could be Sarr, who only managed a brief two-minute cameo off the bench in Jakarta and may therefore be in line for more minutes, potentially slotting in at centre-back. Mike Penders is set to take over between the posts, continuing the trend of squad rotation across the goalkeeping department. Tosin Adarabioyo is also expected to be included in defence, while Olutayo Subuloye will be looking to press his claims for regular involvement.
In midfield, Dário Essugo and Reggie Walsh are tipped to start, offering a platform for the more advanced players to express themselves. Further forward, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Dastan Satpaev are all expected to be given game time as Chelsea continue to assess depth across the squad during their pre-season schedule.
Based on the anticipated changes, Chelsea's predicted lineup against Johor Darul Ta'zim reads: Penders; Acheampong, Sarr, Tosin, Subuloye; Essugo, Walsh; Nicoll-Jazuli, Satpayev, Gittens, Delap.
The fixture represents another chance for Alonso to evaluate his squad ahead of the new season, with the Spanish coach clearly keen to give as many players as possible valuable minutes during the tour. The victory over AC Milan will have provided plenty of encouragement, particularly with performances from both established stars and academy prospects standing out.
Chelsea's pre-season campaign has so far shown a willingness from Alonso to blend youth with experience, rotating heavily between matches while still producing eye-catching results. The clash with Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia offers yet another opportunity for fringe players to stake a claim for involvement once the competitive season gets underway.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (standard-football).