Chelsea play their penultimate pre-season friendly in midweek with a trip to Austria to face Red Bull Salzburg.
The Blues have been in good form this summer and will be looking to keep their winning run going at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night.
Red Bull Salzburg
© ReutersAs the reigning champions of Austria, and with their campaign already underway, RB Salzburg should provide stern competition for Chelsea.
The Red Bulls have finished top of the Austrian Bundesliga in 10 of the last 13 seasons and were convincing champions last time out, finishing nine points clear of LASK Linz.
Exactly two months after their previous campaign finished, Salzburg got their 2019-2020 campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over Rapid Vienna last Friday thanks to goals from Takumi Minamino and Masaya Okugawa.
That made it five league wins in a row stretching into last season, and they have failed to win just two of their last 13 games in all competitions, including friendlies.
Now under the management of American coach Jesse Marsch, who has also worked with New York Red Bulls and RB Leipzig, the challenge for Salzburg this season is to retain their league and cup crowns, while also making an impact in the Europa League.
Next weekend's visit of SV Mattersburg in the league will take priority for Marsch, but the Austrian club would love to claim a big-name scalp in this prestige friendly, before then turning focus to their showdown with Real Madrid.
With a number of talented players in their ranks, and with opponents Chelsea still not yet at full fitness, Salzburg may see this as a big opportunity to pull off an upset.
Recent form in all competitions (including friendlies): WWWWWW
Chelsea
© ReutersFrank Lampard has one hand tied behind his back due to Chelsea's ban on registering new players, but he has declared himself pleased with his first few weeks in the dugout.
A surprise 1-0 loss to Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale aside, the Blues have looked fairly impressive in their summer friendlies and are starting to build some momentum to take into their Premier League opener with Manchester United.
The most recent of their friendly wins came against Reading on Sunday when edging a seven-goal thriller at the Madejski Stadium.
Ross Barkley and Kenedy struck after Josh Barrett had opened the scoring for Reading, only for Michael Morrison to restore parity in Berkshire.
Mason Mount then continued his fine run by finding the net twice in the space of three minutes, rendering Sam Baldock's goal nothing more than a consolation as Chelsea won 4-3.
That win came on the back of a 2-1 triumph over higher profile opposition in Barcelona five days prior, which should give Lampard's youngsters and fringe players plenty of confidence.
Lampard will be less impressed by the state of his side's defending at the Madejski Stadium, however - a similar display at Old Trafford in just under two weeks' time and Chelsea will likely be further punished.
Three wins and a draw from five matches is good going for the West London outfit, though, and Lampard now has two friendlies - trips to Salzburg and Borussia Monchengladbach - to settle on his preferred XI in time for the real business starting.
Recent form in pre-season: DWLWW
Team News
© ReutersLampard is expected to name a similar squad to the one against Reading, with holding midfielder N'Golo Kante still nursing a knee injury that could see him miss the start of the season.
Kepa Arrizabalaga remained on the bench at the Madejski Stadium and is in need of some minutes, while Mount may be recalled to the starting lineup after his brace from the bench.
Up top, Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham have taken it in turns to lead the line, with the former playing the first half against Reading.
Elsewhere there could also be starts for Christian Pulisic, Kurt Zouma and Austrian-born Mateo Kovacic.
As for the hosts, Marsch must decide how much focus to put on this first of two high-profile friendlies, which falls either side of important league matches.
Patson Daka and Erling Braut Haland led the line against Rapid Vienna and that may also be the case in midweek.
Red Bull Salzburg possible starting lineup:
Stankovic; Farkas, Ramalho, Onguene, Ulmer; Szoboszlai, Junuzovic, Bernede, Minamino; Daka, Haland
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Luiz, Emerson; Kovacic, Bakayoko; Pedro, Mount, Pulisic; Abraham
Head To Head
Chelsea have never previously faced RB Salzburg in a competitive fixture.
The Blues were in Austria for a pre-season friendly against Rapid Vienna three years ago, however, going down 2-0 at the Allianz Stadion.
We say: Red Bull Salzburg 2-2 Chelsea
Chelsea's pre-season campaign is now at an advanced stage, with less than two weeks to go until their Premier League opener. RB Salzburg are not as strong as Barcelona, but the Austrian side should be fitter than their opponents and this is expected to be a tight match.
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