Romeo Lavia could barely hide his delight after completing 90 minutes in Chelsea’s convincing 3-0 pre-season victory over AC Milan in Jakarta.
The Belgian midfielder played a key role in the centre of the pitch as the Blues produced one of their most impressive displays of the summer, with Joao Pedro scoring twice before Moises Caicedo sealed the win with a stunning strike.
For Lavia, though, the result was only part of the story.
After another full match under new manager Xabi Alonso, the midfielder believes he is entering the new campaign in a positive frame of mind.
Lavia has been building his fitness during Chelsea’s pre-season preparations, and completing the entire match against Milan represented another important step.
The 21-year-old admitted he was pleased with both his performance and the work that has gone into preparing him for the new season.
“We’re very happy to get the win and it was a good performance from the boys,” Lavia explained.
“I was very happy to play the 90 minutes and I feel good. The confidence comes from all the work with all the people at the club, who have helped me get into a good position to ensure that I could have a good pre-season and to get going strongly here.
“I’m very happy with how things have gone, the minutes I’ve played under Xabi [Alonso] and I’m excited for the season ahead.”
The arrival of Alonso has brought a new tactical direction to Chelsea, and Lavia says the squad is enjoying the experience of working with the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss.
The midfielder believes the manager has already begun putting his ideas across, with the players responding positively to the changes.
“We are really enjoying working under the new manager, he has come in and implemented his ideas and we are all very happy with him. We hope it’s going to be a good season.”
That optimism will be welcomed by Chelsea supporters, who will be hoping the new campaign brings greater consistency and a serious challenge across multiple competitions.
While Chelsea’s performance provided plenty to celebrate, the atmosphere inside the GBK Stadium was another major talking point.
Thousands of Indonesian supporters created an electric backdrop as Chelsea continued their pre-season tour, and Lavia admitted the players could feel the support from the moment they arrived in Jakarta.
The midfielder was also quick to recognise supporters who have followed the club’s tour across different locations.
“From the moment we arrived in Jakarta, we saw the love from the fans and we enjoyed every moment out there [on the pitch].
“To be honest, it’s been like that at all the places we have played during this pre-season tour, and we thank the fans for their support.
“It doesn’t go unnoticed by the players. We saw how the crowds built up from the hotel, right to the stadium and we just enjoyed this moment of playing in front of our fans in different parts of the world.”
The 3-0 victory over AC Milan gives Chelsea another confidence boost as Alonso continues to shape his squad ahead of competitive action.
For Lavia, the biggest positive may be his growing fitness and the opportunity to establish himself within Alonso’s plans.
Playing 90 minutes alongside Caicedo also offered another glimpse of the midfield partnership Chelsea could rely on during the season.
With pre-season gradually drawing to a close, Lavia appears increasingly ready for the real test. His smile after the Milan victory said plenty.
The Belgian is enjoying his football, trusting the process and looking forward to what comes next under Alonso.
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