Roundup of Chelsea players on September international duty

Chelsea players have been involved for their various countries on international duty. Some of them are looking ahead to start games for their team while others have been thrown into the starting berth right away.

Elsewhere, Graham Potter is working with a depleted group of players back at Cobham as preparations continue for his first league game against Crystal Palace on October 1st.
Pride Of London takes a look at players on international duty and how they have performed so far.

CHELSEA STARS IN ENGLAND VS ITALY

The UEFA Nations League brought Italy and England together in a repeat of the Euro 2020 final on Friday night, and again it was Jorginho and his compatriots who were celebrating at the end.
The CFC midfielder played all but the final few minutes of a 1-0 win for the Italians which keeps them in contention to make the Nations League finals. England are relegated to level B of the competition.

Reece James and Raheem Sterling were the two Chelsea starters for the Three Lions in the San Siro. Mason Mount was an unused substitute. Ben Chilwell, part of the overall squad, was not included in the matchday squad for this game.

It was a shaky start from England but they grew into what became an even if uneventful first half. James in space had a crossing chance midway through it but could not reach his target Harry Kane. Later the Chelsea wing-back had a shot into a crowded area which deflected wide.

Kane found space for a long-range attempt near the interval but it was optimistic and off target.
Sterling had been very closely policed by the Italian players, often with his back to goal, but early in the second half he was able to embark on a good run which ended in an England free-kick and an Italy booking. James was allowed to go for goal from a good position but did make it pay.

Italy opened England up soon after that but the ball went wide and the offside flag went up. Instead their goal came from the edge of the penalty area midway through the second half. Giacomo Raspadori, on loan at Napoli from Sassuolo, brought a long ball down well and finished even better.

Kane was denied an equaliser by a double save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. James, who was on a lot of the set-pieces, tried to catch the Italian keeper out with a free-kick from out wide but it was punched away.

The Azzurri came closer to a goal with a shot saved by Nick Pope and then a follow-up cross that hit the post. In added time, a James cross was headed over by Jude Bellingham.
England now have one more game before the World Cup in Qatar, against Germany on Monday. Italy, who did not qualify for this winter’s big tournament, now play Hungary the same day.