The Nerazzurri have left Milan for the summer tour that will take them to Asia and Australia. The departure from Malpensa was bound for Hong Kong, the first stop of a tour that will continue in Perth for further preparation tests. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Typhoon Noul affected the area with heavy rain and wind, but without compromising the Football Festival.
The event will be held at the modern Kai Tak Stadium, a 50,000-seat facility, and will also include the friendly match between Juventus and Chelsea. Among the most anticipated returns are Calhanoglu, Sucic, and Bonny, who are available again after the World Cup. Chivu will instead have to wait for Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, and John Stones, who will join the group at a later time.
The squad will therefore not be complete yet. The coach will continue working with the Italian core and the young players observed during the German training camp, paying particular attention to Francesco Pio Esposito. The striker has scored five goals in the first tests, consolidating his role in the plans for the new season.
The tour will also be an opportunity to assess Aleksandar Stankovic, Benjamin Pavard, and Andy Diouf. The latter finished the training camp with a decisive brace against Karlsruhe and continues to be deployed on the right wing. After Hong Kong, the team will fly to Australia to face Juventus and Milan.
Travel, time zone differences, and winter temperatures will make the work more complex, but will offer Chivu valuable opportunities to consolidate fitness, hierarchies, and automatisms. The goal remains to be ready for the league debut on August 22 against Monza.
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