Chelsea files: Joao Pedro and Estevao face NIGHTMARE journey with Brazil, security beefs up, and veteran star returns

FOR many, heading to Australia is a once in a lifetime trip.

But Chelsea‘s Brazilian duo, Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian, are heading back Down Under less than two months after being there with the Blues.

The pair have been included in Carlo Ancelotti‘s Brazil‘s squad for the international break as the Selecao head off on a money-spinning friendly tour.

Clubs will always fear over the miles put into the legs of their players while they are away with their national sides, but Xabi Alonso has every right to be concerned.

Not only are Brazil going to Australia, playing in Townsville City and Brisbane for two friendlies against the Socceroos, but they then head to Kolkata to face India.

It means Estevao and Pedro will have to spend up to 52 hours in the air travelling from London and back, flying more than 21,400 miles in the process.

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That comes off the back of the Blues’ mammoth pre-season tour, which both were included on having missed the World Cup, which saw them visit Sydney, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia.

For that tour, Chelsea’s performance staff drew up a masterplan to manage jet lag and fitness, something they may have to dig out once again.

Tightening up

SECURITY at Chelsea’s Cobham base has become noticeably tighter to regular visitors this season.

So much so, that a senior figure even had trouble being let in last week.

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The Blues’ director of performance, Bryce Cavanagh, was held up by an overzealous security guard at the gate this week as he tried to make his way in from Cobham & Stoke d’Abernon station.

Eyewitnesses even say Cavanagh, who joined the club from The FA three years ago, was not immediately let in when he produced his staff ID.

In another shocking development, media representatives are no longer permitted to go through the security gate which is a few steps off the southbound platform at the village railway station.

And once on site, they are told to get inside immediately and stay there.

Maybe Xabi Alonso fears Southampton-style spying missions. We’ll see whether it prevents leaks of team news, which were a regular irritation to the club last season.

The railway station is also the setting for a bit of clever PR.

America-based bank JP Morgan seem to have strategically placed an advertisement for their firm a stone’s throw from the pitches where the Blues trio of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers train.

JP Morgan are also one of the leading partners in a £795 loan package to the Chelsea co-owners, via the BlueCo 22 holding company.

The advert reads: “Some things in life should wait, your pension shouldn’t be one of them.”

Pedro, Palmer and Rogers should already be set up for life.

And although Palmer was mobbed by fans as he left Stamford Bridge on foot last Saturday, he is yet to be seen on South Western Railway.

Hendo preparing for action

CHELSEA expect Jordan Henderson finally to be ready to join in full training any day now.

Henderson has been unable to take part in any drills involving potential contact as he recovers from the broken left arm he suffered at the World Cup.

But boss Xabi Alonso indicated before the Hull game the former Liverpool captain was nearing the end of his rehabilitation after suffering the horror injury while celebrating England’s last 16 win over Mexico.

And it is understood Henderson is likely to be in contention to make his first appearances for the Blues after the international break.

Alonso’s hope

IT’S no secret that Chelsea’s defence has been their undoing in the Premier League so far, with the narrative being that they have a league-winning attack and relegation-fearing defence.

But this is nothing new for Xabi Alonso, if you look back to his days at Bayer Leverkusen.

In four games, Chelsea have conceded NINE goals, with only Ipswich, Crystal Palace and Coventry conceding more.

Coincidentally, Bayer Leverkusen let in nine goals in their first four Bundesliga matches after Alonso took charge in October 2022. But in the remaining 22 games, they conceded 24, a much more respectable rate.

So the new Blues boss at least has a track record of putting things right. The return of Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra from injury will surely aid him in that process.

Estevao’s ally

ESTEVAO continues to be frustrated by his lack of game time.

But at least the Brazilian teenager appears to have a new pal to help him keep his chin up.

Estevao and summer signing Pep Chavarria seemed to spend as much time laughing and joking together as they did performing the pre-match rondo for substitutes ahead of the home match against Hull.

On the face of it, the pair would seem to have little in common – the wonderkid winger and the late developer defender.

But another way of looking at it is Chavarria, 28, knows what it means to wait for your chance, having taken his time to rise through the tiers of Spanish football to the point where he joined Chelsea from Rayo Vallecano last month.

He came on at half time for Jorrel Hato after the Dutchman’s disastrous mistake led to Mo Belloumi’s first goal for the visitors.

But poor Estevao was given only four minutes to show what he could do as Chelsea chased a late winner.