Chelsea 0-1 Fiorentina: Jose Mourinho's side lose final pre-season match as Gonzalo Rodriguez scores first-half winner (and Kurt Zouma shows his frustration by crashing into Ricardo Bagadur) 

  • Fiorentina defender Gonzalo Rodriguez scored the only goal of the game in the 34th minute
  • Captain John Terry, playmaker Oscar and summer signing Radamel Falcao all started friendly match 
  • Premier League champions Chelsea face Swansea City in opening league match of season on Saturday
  • Sign up for this season’s MailOnline Fantasy Football game 

By Oliver Todd for MailOnline

Published: 15:54 EST, 5 August 2015 | Updated: 18:47 EST, 5 August 2015

Five games, three losses, no wins. It’s hardly the form of champions but Jose Mourinho is playing down Chelsea’s stuttering preparation for the new campaign.

Gonzalo Rodriguez scored the only goal of the game as Fiorentina recorded an unlikely win against a much-changed Blues side, for whom Kurt Zouma was fortunate not to be sent off for a ludicrous chest-high challenge late on.

Blues boss Mourinho was unfazed by a lack of momentum going into Saturday’s Premier League opener against Swansea City, again referring to these preparatory fixtures as ‘training sessions’ after the game. 

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma smashed into the helpless Ricardo Bagadur with just minutes left on the clock

Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma smashed into the helpless Ricardo Bagadur with just minutes left on the clock

The Frenchman landed on top of Fiorentina defender Ricardo Bagadur after clattering into the Croat during the friendly match

The Frenchman landed on top of Fiorentina defender Ricardo Bagadur after clattering into the Croat during the friendly match

France international Zouma is cautioned by referee David Coote following his reckless foul on Bagadur (pictured on the ground)

France international Zouma is cautioned by referee David Coote following his reckless foul on Bagadur (pictured on the ground)

A handful of Fiorentina stars confront Zouma after his poor challenge on their team-mate, who continues to look in pain while on the floor

A handful of Fiorentina stars confront Zouma after his poor challenge on their team-mate, who continues to look in pain while on the floor

Former Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao failed to make any real impact on his first match at Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea player

Former Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao failed to make any real impact on his first match at Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea player

Chelsea summer signing Asmir Begovic looks dismayed as Fiorentina's players celebrate Gonzalo Rodriguez's 34th-minute goal

Chelsea summer signing Asmir Begovic looks dismayed as Fiorentina's players celebrate Gonzalo Rodriguez's 34th-minute goal

MATCH FACTS 

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Begovic; Aina (Ivanovic 46mins), Zouma, Terry (Cahill 46), Traore (Azpilicueta 46); Mikel (Matic 46), Loftus-Cheek (Ramires 58); Moses (Willian 58), Oscar (Fabregas 58), Cuadrado (Hazard 58); Falcao (Remy 58)

Subs unused: Courtois, Blackman

Booked: Zouma, Matic  

FIORENTINA (5-3-2): Sepe; Gilberto (Ilicic 58), Tomovic, Rodriguez (Hegazy 58), Roncaglia (Badelj 72), Alonso; Fernandez (Joaquin 58), Suarez (Bagadur 72), Vecino (Valero 72); Babacar (Rossi 46), Rebic (Bernardeschi 72)

Subs unused: Fazzi, Lezzerini, Tatarusanu

Booked: Roncaglia, Hegazi, Joaquin 

Goal: Rodriguez 34 

Attendance: 41,435 

Referee: David Coote 

‘It was a good training session,’ the Portuguese coach said. ‘Some players had 60 minutes; those who played Sunday only had 30.

‘The real football is on Saturday and today we couldn’t face this game in another way. Hopefully we have no injuries. I saw (Eden) Hazard limping but I don’t think it was a problem.

‘So no injuries and 90 minutes against a competitive team that played for a result and gave us a good training session.

‘I am happy. It’s a long season… 10 months of competition and I’m happy with where we are.’

With his pre-match selection, Mourinho seemingly made a point of how stretched his squad is three days before they kick off their title defence.

Forward Bertrand Traore started at left back as Mourinho made wholesale changes from their Community Shield defeat by Arsenal.

Mourinho said after Sunday’s defeat that he needed two more defenders but with moves for John Stones and Augsburg’s Baba Rahman yet to go through he went with Traore on one side of defence and youngster Ola Aina on the other.

The unusually youthful champions also included Ruben Loftus-Cheek in an XI which struggled for rhythm from the off and conceded most of the first-half chances before Rodriguez’s goal.

Loftus-Cheek was the brightest spark for the hosts, given more freedom by the presence of John Obi Mikel alongside him in a two-man midfield, and he headed one chance over before seeing a shot blocked after jinking past two defenders on the left.

But it was the Italians who were applying the pressure and when skipper Rodriguez tucked in a rebound under Asmir Begovic in the 33rd minute it was well deserved, moments after Matias Vecino had hammered the crossbar.

Serie A doesn’t start for another week and a half but it was clear which side was in better tune under the floodlights in SW6.

The game was given even more of a pre-season feel at half-time when Mourinho made four changes, Nemanja Matic’s the best received by an expectant crowd of 41,435 seemingly unfazed by the tube strike that would have left many with drawn-out journeys home.

There was more fluency after the break at least, and Juan Cuadrado was pulled down by Facundo Roncaglia when he fashioned a rare sight of goal. But the free-kick earned was inexplicably headed wide by an unmarked Branislav Ivanovic.

Bosnia international Begovic was unable to stop Fiorentina defender Rodriguez from poking home from close range at Stamford Bridge

Bosnia international Begovic was unable to stop Fiorentina defender Rodriguez from poking home from close range at Stamford Bridge

Begovic dives in vain as he tries to stop Rodriguez from opening the scoring during the International Champions Cup friendly match

Begovic dives in vain as he tries to stop Rodriguez from opening the scoring during the International Champions Cup friendly match

CHELSEA'S PRE-SEASON RESULTS AHEAD OF 2015-16 CAMPAIGN

1. New York Red Bulls 4-2 Chelsea - Thursday July 23

2. Paris Saint Germain 1-1 Chelsea - Saturday July 25 (Chelsea won on penalties)

3. Chelsea 2-2 Barcelona - Wednesday July 29 (Chelsea won on penalties)

4. Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea - Sunday August 2 - Community Shield

5. Chelsea 0-1 Fiorentina - Wednesday August 5

More substitutions followed, Eden Hazard among them, and the Belgian buzzed around on the left but to minimal effect. Cesc Fabregas tried to create from midfield

Chelsea threatened from set-pieces but their best chance was smartly saved by goalkeeper Luigi Sepe from Gary Cahill’s header low to his right. Cahill nodded straight at the Italian stopper shortly after.

When things finally looked to be going well, Loic Remy cut inside his marker with five minutes to go, only to woefully fire wide with half the goal gaping on his right foot.

To top things off, Zouma – the only Chelsea player to complete the 90 minutes alongside Begovic – flattened Ricardo Bagadur with a terrible chest-high challenge in stoppage time that may have normally brought a red card.

Perhaps it summed up Chelsea’s night. Practice makes perfect, but on this evidence the champions might need a little more before they kick off their title defence against Swansea City here on Sunday. 

Blues manager Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff look on as they watch their side fall to a slender defeat by the Viola

Blues manager Jose Mourinho and his coaching staff look on as they watch their side fall to a slender defeat by the Viola

Brazil international Oscar played 58 minutes before being replaced by Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas

Brazil international Oscar played 58 minutes before being replaced by Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas

Chelsea winger Victor Moses, who has returned from a loan spell, is tackled by Fiorentina's Matias Vecino as he makes a forward run

Chelsea winger Victor Moses, who has returned from a loan spell, is tackled by Fiorentina's Matias Vecino as he makes a forward run

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard tries to take the game to the Italian outfit but is closely tracked by two Fiorentina players

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard tries to take the game to the Italian outfit but is closely tracked by two Fiorentina players

Chelsea's first team stars pose for a team photo before their final pre-season match of the summer against Fiorentina

Chelsea's first team stars pose for a team photo before their final pre-season match of the summer against Fiorentina

Captain John Terry (centre) and his Chelsea team-mates acknowledge the Stamford Bridge faithful ahead of the friendly match

Captain John Terry (centre) and his Chelsea team-mates acknowledge the Stamford Bridge faithful ahead of the friendly match

A large Chelsea flag is waved from side to side as the home support gear up for their side's Premier League opener against Swansea

A large Chelsea flag is waved from side to side as the home support gear up for their side's Premier League opener against Swansea

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