Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has expressed his delight after Romeo Lavia completed 90 minutes for the first time since joining the club during Saturday's 3-0 pre-season victory over AC Milan.
The Belgium international has endured an injury-hit spell at Stamford Bridge since his arrival, making his full-match appearance a significant milestone ahead of the new campaign.
Lavia completes first full match for Chelsea
Chelsea produced an impressive display in Jakarta, with João Pedro scoring twice before Moisés Caicedo added a spectacular third goal.
However, Alonso admitted one of the biggest positives from the afternoon was seeing Lavia complete the full match after carefully managing his workload throughout pre-season.
"That was the idea, to arrive to this last weekend, having this game today and tomorrow another one, that some players could make 90 minutes.
"Until now we wanted a logical progression in the loads. We had a plan and we have stuck to that."
Lavia's availability could provide Chelsea with a major boost after persistent injury problems limited his impact during his first seasons at the club.
Chelsea preparing for quick turnaround
The Blues will return to action less than 24 hours later when they face Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim as part of their Asian tour.
Alonso confirmed Chelsea had already planned to rotate heavily, with several academy players expected to feature.
"It is what it is. The idea for tomorrow was already done yesterday. Many young players will have the chance to play tomorrow. Because playing two games in two days is quite intense, we need them for tomorrow."
Alonso pleased with Chelsea progress
The Chelsea head coach believes the club's time in Asia has benefited both the squad's performances and team spirit ahead of the new season.
"We have improved and learned a lot in these two weeks. Not just on the football side, also on the personal side to get to know the players, spending time together abroad. So it's been good. Tomorrow is the last game and then we'll fly back to London."
Key Points
- Romeo Lavia completed 90 minutes for Chelsea for the first time.
- Xabi Alonso described the midfielder's fitness milestone as part of the club's pre-season plan.
- Chelsea defeated AC Milan 3-0 in Jakarta.
- The Blues face Johor Darul Ta'zim in another friendly on Sunday.
- Alonso expects several young players to feature due to the demanding schedule.
What's next?
Chelsea complete their Asian tour against Johor Darul Ta'zim before returning to London to finalise preparations for the new season. Alonso will hope Lavia's successful return to full-match fitness is another positive step as the midfielder looks to put his injury problems behind him.
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