As part of their pre-season preparations, Chelsea are set to take on Club America in an exciting friendly match at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday, July 31.
Both teams are looking to fine-tune their squads and strategies ahead of their respective domestic campaigns, with the Mexican side already 4 games into their league campaign.
Chelsea Aiming for Improvement | Blues to Win: 1.75
Chelsea's pre-season journey has been a mixed bag so far. They began with a 2-2 draw against League One side Wrexham, in a match that highlighted both their potential and areas needing improvement.
Their subsequent 4-1 defeat to Celtic exposed defensive frailties, despite Christopher Nkunku’s late penalty giving them a consolation goal. New manager Enzo Maresca, who took over on July 8, will be keen to address these issues and build cohesion within the team before their league starts and this game would be the perfect opportunity.
Club America Seeking Consistency | Eagles to Win: 4.10
Club America have already been engaged in competitive matches with the Liga MX season underway. Their form has been inconsistent, with two wins and two losses from their first four matches.
They recently secured a 2-1 victory over Juarez, demonstrating their potential but also highlighting areas for improvement, especially in away matches where they have struggled and as winners of the league last season, if they are to defend the title, they would have to start showing it with their performances and what way to do that than against English Premier League giants Chelsea.
Key Players & Team News:
For Chelsea, players like Tosin Adarabioyo, Nkunku, Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu, and Raheem Sterling are expected to feature prominently as Maresca experiments with his line-up. Carney Chukwuemeka, who has played extensively in the previous matches, might get some rest.
Club America, on the other hand, will rely on their key players from the Juarez match, with Rodrigo Aguirre pushing for a start after scoring as a substitute. They will face Chelsea with a mostly strong line-up, although Jardine may rotate his squad to manage player fitness, especially with a match against Aston Villa just three days later.
Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw: 3.90
Chelsea have had the upper hand in games against CF America with three (3) consecutive wins (2-1, 2-0, 2-1). | Specials Market: Home/Draw & Over 2.5= 1.92.
America has won three (3) of their last five (5) games, in all competitions demonstrating their capabilities to hurt the opposition. | Specials Market: Draw/Away & Yes= 2.75
There have been over 2.5 goals in all of Chelsea’s last five (5) games while for Club America there have been over 2.5 goals in four (4) of their previous five (5) games. | Specials Market: Over 2.5 & Yes = 1.79
You can check out the Chelsea vs CF America game on MSport here.
In preparation for their upcoming campaigns, Portuguese giants Benfica and Dutch heavyweights Feyenoord will square off in an engaging friendly match on Sunday, July 28.
Both teams are fine-tuning their squads and strategies, and this encounter promises to offer valuable insights into their readiness for the new season.
Benfica's Pre-Season Build-Up:
Benfica have had a busy pre-season, playing four matches so far. They started with a resounding 5-0 victory over Farense on July 12.
This was followed by a series of matches where they drew against Celta Vigo and Brentford, and secured a 3-1 win over Almeria on July 21. With two more friendlies scheduled, including a game against Fulham, Benfica are gearing up for their domestic season opener against Famalicao on August 11.
Feyenoord's New Era:
Feyenoord have also had a successful pre-season, winning both of their matches so far. They started with a dominant 4-0 victory over Dordrecht on July 6, followed by a 3-1 win against Genk.
Under new manager Brian Priske, who has taken over from Arne Slot, Feyenoord are looking to build on their second-place finish in the Eredivisie last season, where they finished seven points behind PSV Eindhoven.
Key Players & Team News:
Benfica will rely on the attacking prowess of their new signing, Vangelis Pavlidis, and the leadership of experienced players like Rafa Silva and Alex Grimaldo.
Feyenoord, on the other hand, will look to their fresh faces, including Ondrej Lingr, to provide a spark, while veteran players like Orkun Kökçü will be key in maintaining stability and experience on the field.
Match Stats:
Benfica beat Feyenoord 4-1 in the first of their two friendly games with the Portuguese club as the home team just like this one.
Feyenoord boast incredible form having won all their last five (5) games in all competitions including all their three (3) pre-season friendlies.
There have been over 2.5 goals in three (3) of Benfica’s last five (5) games in all competitions and four (4) of Feyenoord’s last five (5) games.
You can check out the Benfica vs Feyenoord Pre-season friendly on MSport here:
For a thrilling friendly match, two of England's football giants, Arsenal and Manchester United, will face off in California on Sunday, July 28.
Both teams are gearing up for their respective 2024-25 campaigns and this encounter promises to be an exciting prelude to the upcoming season.
Arsenal & Mikel Arteta Look to Sharpen Their Edge| Gunners to Win: 2.29
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, have been diligently preparing for the new season. Their tour of the United States began with a challenging match against Bournemouth.
Arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 draw after full-time when Fabio Vieira scored to give Arsenal an early lead, but Bournemouth equalised through Antoine Semenyo in the 73rd minute, before the Gunners triumphed 5-4 on penalties.
Now the Gunners turn their attention to most EPL title winners, Manchester United in their second game of their tour of the U.S. before facing Liverpool in their final match of the tour.
Arsenal will return to England for friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon in their seasonal friendly tournament, the Emirates Cup, after the US games as Arteta tries to sharpen his team for what will be their third straight attempt at lifting the Premier League title when they open their account on August 17 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
United Aim to Do Better than FA Cup Winning Season| Red Devils to Win: 2.55
Under the guidance of Erik ten Hag, Manchester United has also been busy with pre-season matches as they try to do better than the FA Cup they won last season.
Ten Hag and his United team started their preparations with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Rosenborg but bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Rangers. Now, they look toward an Arsenal team that has been title-challenging for two seasons straight.
The Red Devils are now set to play three matches in the United States against Arsenal, Real Betis, and Liverpool, before returning to England for the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 10.
Key Players & Team News:
Both teams will showcase a mix of established stars and promising young talents. Arsenal will rely on players like Fabio Vieira and Martin Ødegaard to lead their attack, while their academy talents aim to make a strong impression.
Manchester United will be eager to see how their new signings Lenny Yoro and Zirkzee integrate with the team. Established stars such as Marcus Rashford and Casemiro will be crucial in their bid to start the season on a high note.
Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw: 4.10
Arsenal’s penalty shoot-out win over Bournemouth in their last friendly means they have won all their last five (5) games in all competitions. | Specials Market: Home/Draw & Under 3.5 = 2.70
Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-0 in their last pre-season friendly with Bruno Fernandes and Sancho goals before edging them on penalties 5-3 in the same game. | Specials Market: Draw/Away & Under 3.5 = 2.85
There are no draws in the last five (5) games between Arsenal and Manchester United with Arteta’s side winning three (3) games while Ten Hag’s Red Devils won the other two (2). | Specials Market: Home/Away & Under 3.5
You can check out the Arsenal vs Man United Pre-season game on MSport here.