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Gearing Up For China


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As the Chelsea players and coaching staff prepare to return for pre-season training on Monday, we switch our focus to the club's first pre-season friendly - against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical on July 23. It will be the first opportunity for fans to see the team led by Luiz Felipe Scolari, with new signings Deco and José Bosingwa likely to be involved, as well as Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic, who signed in January.

Ivanovic has not yet appeared for the first team having signed from Lokomotiv Mosco during what was the Russian close season. He then suffered a couple of niggling injuries preventing him from reaching peak fitness before the 2007/8 entered its critical period.

The game against Guangzhou will take place at the Guangdong Olympic Stadium, pictured, which has a capacity of just over 80,000 and will be the venue of the 2010 Asian Games.

Most Chelsea fans will probably be unfamiliar with our first ever Chinese opponents, who were promoted into their country's Super League in 2007.

The league currently has 16 sides, and also includes Chengdu Blades, who we will meet later in the tour.

Formed as Guangzhou FC in 1954, their current title is their seventh, taken on in 2006 after investment by South China's largest medical company.

Like us, Guanghzou play predominantly in blue kit, though white shorts are sometimes worn.

Last summer, they hosted Manchester United, losing 3-0 in the Olympic Stadium after goals from Wayne Rooney, Nani and Lee Martin.

Managed by Shen Xiangfu, the squad consists mainly of Chinese players, but like the new Chelsea, there is a distinct South American theme with two Brazilians and an Argentine in the ranks.

You will be able to watch the game in full on Chelsea TV, which is also first with all the news from Stamford Bridge. Be sure to log back on to Chelseafc.com soon as we continue the countdown to pre-season action.

Source: Chelsea FC

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Really starting to get excited about this. Under 3 weeks to go now until the first game. Looking forward to seeing Deco and Bosingwa, and obviously Scolari.

I hope that the majority of the squad is done and dusted by then, but I doubt it.

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Really starting to get excited about this. Under 3 weeks to go now until the first game. Looking forward to seeing Deco and Bosingwa, and obviously Scolari.

I hope that the majority of the squad is done and dusted by then, but I doubt it.

I am sure they will try, otherwise any negotiations become very difficult, with the team away for at least 2 weeks.

Yup, i love the pre season games. Especially with a new man in charge, a chance to see new players in action and to see how we are going to try and set up for the comming season.

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