Originally, this match was supposed to pit Chelsea against Sevilla, but the Spanish club pulled out of the International Champions Cup late in the game. That led to a shake-up in the schedule, and so Inter Milan is playing Chelsea a couple days earlier than they were originally slated to. It might turn out to be a good thing that these clubs are meeting a bit sooner than expected. Both sides are rumored to be interested in adding a member of the other’s team, and they are slated to hold discussions about potential moves before the match. This will add a bit of spice to the preseason showdown between these two clubs.
The International Champions Cup brings some of the top clubs in Europe to cities around the world that normally don’t get to see top flight football. The match will take place at Allianz Rivera in Nice, France at 2:05 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 28, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN2.
International Champions Cup Betting at BookMaker.eu
Inter Milan +240
Chelsea +108
Draw +251
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
What to watch for
Maurizio Sarri is eager to see what he has with Chelsea. After two months of open deliberation about the job status of Antonio Conte, owner Roman Abramovich finally made the decision to sack Conte two weeks ago. That puts Sarri in a bit of a bind with not as much time to prepare for the start of the season.
Right now, Chelsea are a bit of a mess. Rival clubs are actively looking to steal away Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, N’Golo Kante, and Olivier Giroud. All four players will not be taking part in this match after their countries made deep runs at the World Cup, but they might still steal the headlines. Sarri will have some key players available to see in action though. Cesc Fabregas, Alvaro Morata, David Luiz, and Pedro are all making the trip to the south of France.
Inter Milan look set to have more of their starters in the lineup when these clubs meet. Radja Nainggolan will lead the charge for the club, as he was the club’s biggest offseason acquisition. He is coming over from rivals Roma, and this will be one of the first chances he gets to make an impact with his new team.
The Italian club will have some others that will be making their debut. Left back Federico Dimarco, left back Kwadwo Asamoah, winger Matteo Politano, and center back Stefan de Vrij all signed with the club in the offseason, and they all may see the field here.
Chelsea Player to Watch
Last year was a season to forget for David Luiz. Luiz was injured all throughout last season, and he only played in 10 matches with Chelsea. The Brazilian center back is looking to put the memory behind him, and he is said to be fully fit now. Not having him available really hurt Conte’s defensive approach last season.
Inter Milan Player to Watch
Nainggolan was Inter Milan’s big acquisition this summer, and fans of the club can’t wait to see him in action. He is known as one of the most complete midfielders in the world, and that style of play will work well in Italy. Midfielders must be defensively sound to be successful in Serie A, and Nainggolan is certainly that.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
There is really good value in Inter Milan at this price. To be sure, you can make a good argument to bet Chelsea. The club has more chemistry due to their previous time together, but the talent advantage should be in Inter Milan’s favor. Additionally, Chelsea is just getting back from an Australian trip last week, and their body clocks will need time to adjust.
International Champions Cup Odds: Inter Milan 2, Chelsea 1
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