Chelsea capped their pre-season campaign with a commanding 4–1 win over ten-man AC Milan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, sealing the VisitMalta Weekender trophy and maintaining their unbeaten run.
The hosts struck first after only five minutes when Andrei Coubis, under pressure, headed the ball into his own net. Three minutes later, João Pedro made it 2–0 with a powerful header from a precise Pedro Neto cross his fifth goal in just five appearances for the club.
Milan’s task became harder in the 18th minute as Coubis received a straight red card for bringing Pedro down inside the penalty area. “Once the red card came, we knew it was about managing the game and pressing at the right moments,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said after the match.
Liam Delap extended the lead in the second half, calmly converting a penalty after Estevao was brought down. Youssouf Fofana pulled one back for Milan, beating Robert Sánchez to make it 3–1, but Delap restored the three-goal margin late on with his second of the night.
The result gives Chelsea a perfect confidence boost ahead of their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace next weekend. “It’s important to start the season strong,” Pedro told reporters. “We’ve shown we can score and control games now it’s about carrying that into the league.”
