Alonso pleased for ‘exhausted’ Lavia after first full Chelsea game

Xabi Alonso said an “exhausted” Romeo Lavia was “really, really happy” after completing 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 3-0 pre-season friendly win over AC Milan.

The Belgian midfielder, who joined in the summer of 2023, has been plagued by injuries and has never played a full 90 minutes in a competitive game for the Blues.

Boss Alonso said:  “I am very happy for him. He was tired but I said ‘let him play and enjoy the 90 minutes’. He was exhausted but is very happy.”

Joao Pedro scored twice as Chelsea brushed aside Milan in a dominant display.

Joao headed in the first just before the break and the Brazilian touched in a second just after the interval, with Moises Caicedo volleying a superb third.

The performance was impressive throughout, with Chelsea looking much fitter and sharper than in the previous two games – defeats against Tottenham and Juventus.

“There is a progression. We had a plan and we had to stick to that,” added Alonso.

“It was a great game. We have a good feeling. It was a complete performance in a great stadium. It will be exciting to follow this process.”