Overview
- Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 in Jakarta on Saturday, August 8, with Romeo Lavia playing the full 90 minutes in the pre-season friendly.
- Xabi Alonso said Lavia had a "mental block" about going the distance, added that the player was exhausted after the game, and defended his decision to keep him on to build confidence.
- Some coverage treated the outing as a milestone in Lavia’s recovery while Talk Chelsea pointed out he had previously completed 90 minutes in a friendly two years ago and urged competitive evidence.
- Lavia’s game time has been limited by recurring thigh and hamstring problems since his 2023 move from Southampton, with reports noting 43 appearances, 25 starts where he was substituted and about 1,858 minutes in total.
- The match formed part of a wider pre-season rotation and fitness check on the Asia tour, and Chelsea have a short break before their mid‑August Premier League opener as they continue cautious load management.