Hello and welcome to
Sports Mole's live coverage of the pre-season friendly between
Borussia Monchengladbach and Chelsea. The Blues have recorded four wins, one draw and one defeat on their travels ahead of the new campaign, but
Frank Lampard will want to see another successful outing in Germany. As the two teams make their way out onto the pitch, let's see who features in each starting lineup...
BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH XI: Sommer; Lainer, Ginter, Elvedi, Wendt; Neuhaus, Strobl, Zakaria; Hofmann, Thurman, Plea
CHELSEA XI: Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, Palmieri; Kovacic, Jorginho, Mount; Pedro, Abraham, Pulisic
KICKOFF: We are underway in Germany!
SHOT! Monchengladbach have started the better of the two sides, while also coming close to taking the lead. Thuram tried his luck with a low drive, only to see his effort go wide of the post.
Chelsea have seen quite a bit of the ball since that attempt. There isn't a lot of intent, but it is at least giving the players a chance to get a feel of the ball.
CHANCE! The Blues put together a neat move down the right with Azpilicueta eventually crossing for the advancing Mount. However, the academy graduate can only send his effort off target. Still, more promising signs from the Premier League outfit.
CHANCE! Abraham didn't get much of a look in against Salzburg, but the young frontman should score here. There was a slight bit of fortune when it came to the ball dropping invitingly for him, although the Englishman should have scored inside the box, instead being denied by a super save by Sommer.
GOAL! BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 0-1 CHELSEA (ALASSANE PLEA)
GOAL! Well that wasn't in the script. Monchengladbach go in front through Plea, who took the ball past Kovacic before drilling the ball into the bottom corner.
Lampard will be desperately disappointed with that because his team had been on top. It means that Chelsea will head into the Premier League campaign with just one clean sheet in seven matches.
CHANCE! Chelsea almost find an equaliser through Pedro. The Spaniard was found in the box after good work from Mount, but he was unable to find the target with his shot.
I wouldn't say that this game is as open as the final 70 minutes in Austria, but it isn't far off. Chelsea look great going forward, but shaky at the back.
Lampard said after the Salzburg game that he had almost decided on his first XI for the trip to Manchester United and that may not include Zouma, who has again lacked assertiveness at the back.
Despite the likelihood of only featuring on the bench next week, Mount is certainly making a case for a starting role sooner rather than later. The youngster is switching between being part of a three-man midfield and playing closer to Abraham in this game, and he looks comfortable in both areas.
YELLOW CARD! We have also had a booking in this game, with Kovacic being cautioned for a foul on Wendt. We've seen a lot of yellow cards throughout pre-season.
While on the subject of midfielders, we should also tell you that N'Golo Kante is on the bench for Chelsea. He is yet to make an appearance during pre-season due to injury, but expect to see him at some point in the second half.
CHANCE! Another opportunity for Chelsea, this time for Pulisic. A mistake in the home side's defence led to the ball going to the American, but Sommer continued his fine performance with a smart stop.
YELLOW CARD! There has also been another yellow, this time for Gladbach's Lainer who went in late on Palmieri.
Pulisic has been a breath of fresh air in this re-formed Chelsea attack. On this occasion, his cross found Abraham, but his attacking teammate could do nothing productive with a header.
SHOT! Even Azpilicueta is taking it upon himself to try his luck now. The right-back's left-footed strike from distance was heading for the roof of the net until Sommer made a timely intervention.
SAVE! Chelsea are keeping the pressure on the German outfit. There is a lot to admire about the approach play, but the end product has not been there yet. The latest chance sees Mount denied by Sommer having found some space for himself inside the area.
GOAL! BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 2-0 CHELSEA (JONAS HOFFMAN)
GOAL! And just like that, Gladbach double their advantage. A counter-attack from the hosts ended with Hofmann being played through on goal, and the German did the rest by slotting the ball through the legs of Arrizabalaga.
HALF TIME: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-0 Chelsea
The half-time whistle goes in Germany and Chelsea trail Monchengladbach, despite having the better of the game. There will be much to ponder for Lampard, whose team have again been exposed at the back.
There is less than an hour to go until the game between AC Milan and Manchester United. You can follow full coverage of that fixture with Sports Mole from 5.25pm, BST.
KICKOFF: We are back underway!
Lampard has opted to stick with the same XI from the first half. It's not a huge surprise at this stage of pre-season, although there are some players on the bench who are lacking in minutes.
SHOT! Kovacic struggled to make an impact for Chelsea last season, but the Croatian comes close to finding a goal here, with Sommer doing well to keep out the midfielder's shot from around 16 yards out.
SAVE! I've lost count of the number of saves made by Sommer in this game.
The Switzerland number one manages to deny Abraham by sticking out a leg, before the stopper got himself in the way to stop Mount converting from close range.
Monchengladbach probably wonder themselves how they are still 2-0 ahead. Without Sommer, Chelsea would be leading, despite their struggles at the back.
Chelsea are continuing to search for a breakthrough, but it has been a quiet period as far as goalmouth action is concerned.
PENALTY! Finally, some joy for Chelsea in the box as Kovacic is hauled down. The Blues have a penalty.
GOAL! BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 2-1 CHELSEA (TAMMY ABRAHAM)
GOAL! The English side are back in it. Abraham takes responsibility from 12 yards, and the youngster successfully sends Sommer the wrong way.
Both Chelsea and Abraham needed that. The striker looks favourite to start against Manchester United next week, but he has squandered a few clear-cut opportunities throughout pre-season.
It will be interesting to see whether Lampard places more focus on winning this game or giving players minutes ahead of next week. It is surely that time when the Blues boss will be considering multiple alterations.
Rather than spur Chelsea on in search of an equaliser, that goal has instead led to an uneventful period in this contest. Maybe both sets of sides are anticipating a wave of substitutions.
SUBSTITUTIONS! Here they come. Lampard makes a total of four, with Alonso, Barkley, Kenedy and Giroud replacing Emerson, Kovacic, Pulisic and Abraham.
We've not seen a whole lot of Giroud during pre-season. There has been talk of him being Chelsea's number-one frontman this campaign, but there is an argument that he may be third choice being Abraham and Batshuayi.
Monchengladbach have not offered much going forward since the break. Chelsea have been more assertive with and without the ball, but they still trail with 19 minutes remaining.
SUBSTITUTION! Chelsea make a fifth change as Kante comes on for his first outing of pre-season. Pedro is the player to be withdrawn.
CHANCE! Alonso gets down the left to create an opportunity for Giroud, but the Frenchman's header is weak and comfortably saved by Sommer.
Kenedy is doing his utmost to get himself involved, perhaps knowing that it is still uncertain whether he will remain at Stamford Bridge this season.
CHANCE! Barkley gets himself involved in the action by dispossessing a Monchengladbach defender and advancing through on goal. However, Sommer, yet again, comes to the German side's rescue with another save.
There isn't a whole lot happening right now. Monchengladbach look satisfied with their afternoon's work, and it is proving enough to keep Chelsea at bay for the time being.
We haven't mentioned much of Christensen, who is a favourite at Monchengladbach having spent two years here on loan from Chelsea. However, the Dane has just had to get back to prevent an interception when the home side looked likely to add to their lead.
PENALTY! Chelsea have a second penalty, this time due to a foul on Mount! Barkley will take it...
GOAL! BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH 2-2 CHELSEA (ROSS BARKLEY)
GOAL! Chelsea are deservedly back on level terms! Barkley appears to be Chelsea's designated spot-kick taker this season, and the Englishman makes no mistake here.
That may be it as far as the goals are concerned. Chelsea and Lampard will be satisfied having got something from this game.
FULL TIME: Borussia Monchengladbach 2-2 Chelsea
The full-time whistle goes and Chelsea have come from behind to earn a deserved 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. Despite both of their goals coming from the penalty spot, Lampard's men earned their share of the spoils ahead of next week's Premier League opener with Manchester United.
That will be all from
Sports Mole for this match. Thank you for joining us this afternoon and we hope to see you again soon.
If you would like to read our on-the-whistle match report, you can do so by clicking here. Goodbye for now.