Western Sydney Wanderers FC vs Chelsea prediction 28.07.2026 | Friendly

Western Sydney Wanderers FC enters this one on the back of a reassuring 2-0 victory over Tigers FC in the Australia Cup. The Red & Black had struggled prior to this result, enduring a difficult run of form at the tail end of the A-League campaign, where they won just one of their final 12 league matches.

Alen Stajcic’s men are desperate to fix their abysmal home record at CommBank Stadium, where they currently suffer from a miserable three-match home losing streak in all competitions.

Nicolas Milanovic returns as the reigning Johnny Warren Medallist following a high-profile transfer back from Aberdeen, making him the main man expected to immediately spark an attack that struggled heavily last term.

However, the squad faces a noticeable absentee as veteran midfielder Milos Ninkovic has moved entirely to the coaching staff, leaving a massive creative void in the center of the pitch.

Chelsea FC prepares for this one on the back of a disappointing 10th-place finish in the Premier League, capped off by a 2-1 away defeat to Sunderland. The Blues suffered from severe inconsistency and a porous backline all last season, prompting the club board to trigger a fresh rebuild.

Xabi Alonso’s men are stepping into a highly anticipated new era as the newly appointed manager aims to completely overhaul their tactical identity on this pre-season tour.

Star forward Cole Palmer faces intense pressure to step up his game and dictate the new system after enduring a quieter, injury-disrupted campaign.

Palmer still managed to find the net 10 times while adding 1 assist across 26 league appearances last season, a tally he must drastically improve to match his debut year heights.

However, key leaders like captain Reece James, Enzo Fernández, and Moisés Caicedo are completely absent from the initial travelling squad as they continue their extended post-World Cup breaks.