Mauricio Pochettino Takes Charge of Chelsea in Pre-Season Friendly Against Wrexham
Chelsea will take on newly-promoted League Two club Wrexham in their first pre-season friendly under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The match will be played on Thursday, July 20 at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Pochettino has had a fortnight to work with his new squad after taking over from Thomas Tuchel earlier this month. He will be looking to get his players up to speed and introduce some of his new signings, including Malo Gusto, Andrey Santos, and Christopher Nkunku.
Wrexham are also in pre-season mode after winning promotion to League Two last season. They will be looking to impress against a Premier League side and make a statement of intent for the new campaign.
The match is part of the 2023 Florida Cup series. Chelsea will also play Club America and Charlotte FC in the United States this summer.
Here are some of the key things to look out for in the match:
- How Pochettino sets up his team: Pochettino is known for his attacking style of play, so it will be interesting to see how he lines up his team against Wrexham. He could opt to start some of his new signings, or he could stick with some of the players who were part of the Chelsea squad last season.
- The performance of the new signings: Chelsea have made some big signings this summer, so it will be interesting to see how they perform in their first game for the club. Nkunku is one of the most exciting signings, and he will be looking to make a big impact.
- The fitness of the Chelsea players: Chelsea had a difficult season last year, and they will be looking to start the new season on a positive note. It will be important for the players to get some minutes under their belt in this match, and it will also be a chance for Pochettino to assess their fitness.
I am predicting a comfortable win for Chelsea. They have a much stronger squad than Wrexham, and they should be able to win the match by a few goals.