Chelsea Women to encounter AS Roma at Kingsmeadow in pre-season warm-up

In the midst of the Mauricio Pochettino attempting to pursue a AS Roma men’s superstar, the Chelsea Women announced its pre-season friendly against that exact Italian side.

While 19 west Londoners are preparing for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, the signs of the new club season have begun to come to light. On Monday afternoon, the the Chelsea Women released a statement with not only the date of a pre-season fixture, but an opponent. Emma Hayes’ side will return to Kingsmeadow to take on Alessandro Spugna’s Roma on Sunday, September 3 at 8:00 pm UK time, or 3:00 pm EST in the United States.

Le Giallorosse are coming off their best season to date. Led by Brazilian international Andressa, and Italian Valentina Giacinti, the club that represents Italy’s capital hoisted its first Serie A Femminile title. Juventus had been at the top of the league for five straights campaigns before the Romans took the crown.

Not only did the club experience success at the domestic level, but the Italians showed out in their first appearances on the UEFA Women’s Champions League stage. Drawn in the same group as the German powerhouse Wolfsburg, Spugna’s side stood its own and then some.

Le Giallorosse finished just one points behind the eventual runners-up, losing just one group stage contest while earning a draw against Alexandra Popp and Die Wölfinnen in Italy. The Romans would advance to the quarterfinals of the competition only to draw the champions Barcelona. A record 39,454 came out to support in the first leg, a match where Roma held the 2022-2023 winners to just one goal in 90 minutes.

AS Roma is an exceptional challenge for Chelsea as it attempts to get the players back into the swing of club play in the aftermath of the World Cup

Even with the summer that many of the players are going to be having, Hayes wants her players as prepared as possible for the campaign. Before last season, the Blues traveled to Portland, Oregon in the United States for the Women’s International Champions Cup to compete against Portland Thorns, Lyon, and C.F. Monterrey. It was a chance for the west London outfit to see some of the world’s best before the domestic league begins. Not only does it feel like something similar, this match provides the opportunity for the Blues to familiarize themselves to a rising side in women’s European football.

Due to this summer’s world competition, the Women’s Super League will not resume until the weekend of September 29 and October 1. The final match day of fixtures in the league will be during the during the weekend of May 18, 2024. The transfer window opened on June 23, and will close on September 14. The transfer noise within Chelsea Football Club from here on out are going to be on the men’s side, though a signing similar to Brooke Aspin to increase the loan army is a possibility.

Check out 19 of the Chelsea Women stars on the world stage down under beginning on Thursday, July 20. Guro Reiten and Norway kick things off against co-host New Zealand at 8:00 am UK time, or 3:00 am EST.