Estevao debut, Joao Pedro decision, Simons starts - Chelsea dream XI in Bayer Leverkusen friendly

Chelsea are back. Enzo Maresca's side return to action with two games next weekend ahead of the Premier League's resumption.

The newly-crowned world champions will be aiming to build on their summer success in America as they welcome Bayer Leverkusen and Milan to Stamford Bridge. Whereas most teams are finalising their preparations, Chelsea are yet to start.

It is not until Monday that the players will return to Cobham. That gives them an extremely short runup to get into adequate physical shape. Even if the squad have been doing their work, as is now a staple, whilst on holiday, it is not the same as conditioning themselves in training or in matches.

Maresca's hope will be that he can continue to kick on from the tactical experiments deployed at the Club World Cup. Chelsea deliberately took the pumped-up pre-season tournament much more seriously than some of their rivals in the knowledge that it would be their best chance of grooving patterns and trying ideas.

The exciting part for the committed SW6 crowd will be potential new signings on show. It is the first time Joao Pedro will play in front of his home fans since moving from Brighton, whilst Jamie Gittens is yet to get a game at all due to the timing of his transfer in June.

Andrey Santos will have the chance to make an uncompetitive home debut as well. That is a long time in the waiting after his brilliant 18 months at RC Strasbourg.

Dario Essugo will be in the same camp as he looks to build up a bank of minutes ahead of the new season. Liam Delap is fighting to earn himself a starting spot on the opening day with Nicolas Jackson suspended. Pedro appears to currently have that shirt but Maresca has plenty of options available.

Over the summer, Maresca tried using Cole Palmer in a wide role again, pushing Malo Gusto to hold the width at right-back, and shifting between formations. Pedro Neto played on both flanks, Marc Cucurella was a more orthodox attacking full-back, and the methods towards getting the ball forward at speed was varied.

When it comes to playing on Friday night and then Sunday afternoon, Maresca's approach will have to wait to be seen. He could look to play his strongest team for 45 in the Leverkusen game before changing them all at half-time. Then there is a debate over whether to try and get the same XI some more fluidity just two days later.

Alternatively, the first game can be used to get everyone up to speed before then focusing fully on Milan for the more intricate aspects prior to playing Crystal Palace. There is also the chance to get 60 minutes and 30 minutes into players in two separate appearances across the weekend.

The physical readiness of the squad may well determine just how this is carried out. Chelsea will certainly be open to using their large group across the 180 minutes.

Here, football.london goes through what an ideal starting XI to that first team against Leverkusen might be.

Robert Sanchez starts in goal with nobody else really competing for his spot anymore. Filip Jorgensen will surely get a chance over the course of the two games, but Sanchez is the undoubted number one.

Reece James continues his streak of fitness and form at right-back. Whether or not Chelsea consider using him in a more adventurous role will again wait to be seen.

The centre-back partnership between either Trevoh Chalobah or Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill pinned up the end-of-season and summer form. It does not make too much difference who plays when it comes to those two. Marc Cucurella is sure to be at left-back.

Jorrel Hato may well be on the books by this point but it would be a surprise if he slotted in right away. The same is true for Xavi Simons, although a deal for him is further away at this point.

If Chelsea do get Simons over the line then it would be an ideal way to introduce him to the team ahead of a much anticipated impact. Adding him to the foundation of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in midfield is a bright core for Maresca to move from.

What the shape in attack looks like will be perhaps of most interest. Realistically, any of Gittens, Simons, Pedro, or Neto could play off the left. Palmer will surely be through the middle as a No.10, whilst Estevao Willian is in contention to go from the right. He will be carefully managed after moving to England.

Even in this team, Chelsea will have a bench of Romeo Lavia, Neto, Delap, Jackson, and more to choose from, which shows the size and depth of the squad.

Dream Chelsea XI vs Bayer Leverkusen: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao, Palmer, Simons; Pedro.

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