Xabi Alonso will start as Chelsea manager this summer, and his first preseason challenge comes fast. Chelsea's 2026-27 tour includes A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus, AC Milan, and Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta'zim. JDT's August 11 friendly at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri could prove tougher than any glamour tie.

JDT's dominance runs deep. They have won 12 Malaysia Super League titles in a row, completed the domestic treble three seasons straight, and have not lost a league match since April 2021. Their 108-game unbeaten streak equaled the world record held by ASEC Mimosas from 1989 to 1994. Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Idris transformed the club after taking over in 2013, bringing LaLiga stars like Pablo Aimar and Dani Güiza to Iskandar Puteri.

Chelsea last visited Malaysia in 2013, and JDT will want to show they belong against a European club. The Southern Tigers lost 4-1 to Borussia Dortmund in November 2022, but that was with several Dortmund starters rested for the World Cup. For Alonso, facing a side with this level of domestic dominance and an unbeaten run stretching five years is an immediate credibility test before the Premier League campaign.