Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the friendly meeting between Chelsea and Real Madrid at the Michigan Stadium in the United States. The new season is now just a fortnight away for the Blues, meaning that time is fast ticking down for new boss Antonio Conte to get his players fully up to speed for his first campaign in English football.

Before taking a look at this International Champions Cup fixture in a little more detail, it is worth pointing out at this stage that the game is actually in doubt due to some heavy showers that have been forecasted. Officials are continuing to monitor the situation with an hour to go until kickoff, but it is unlikely that the plug will now be pulled with spectators in the ground and the players also now making their way around the field.

Updates will be provided on that front across the next hour, with the predicted storms hopefully holding off for just a little while longer. As many as 100,000 fans could be packed inside The Big House this evening - the biggest ground in the United States and the second-biggest ground anywhere in the world. It is the perfect setting for what will, fingers crossed, be an entertaining pre-season fixture.

REAL MADRID TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Casilla; Carvajal, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kovacic; Vazquez, Asensio, Mariano; Morata

Madrid were always going to be without their favoured front-three pairing of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema this evening. The latter is currently nursing a minor hip injury that also kept him out of the 3-1 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week, while Bale and Ronaldo are enjoying an extended summer break after their Euro 2016 exploits with Wales and Portugal respectively.

Alvaro Morata, a man who has been linked with a switch to Chelsea in recent weeks, is handed another starting role up top - a position he will do well to keep hold of as we edge towards the start of the campaign. Zinedine Zidane changed all 11 of his players at half time in that PSG defeat a few days back, with youngster Marco Asensio particularly impressing in the second half -his reward being a place in the starting lineup for tonight's friendly affair.

Zidane talked in the week about his intention to go with a 4-3-3 formation throughout the coming season - a lineup that will be spearheaded by Bale, Ronaldo and Benzema. It looks more like a 4-2-3-1 this evening, though, with Casemiro and Mateo Kovacic taking up the two deeper roles in midfield. Lucas Vazquez certainly showed plenty of promising moments last season for Los Blancos, and he will no doubt play a key part from his wide position tonight.

CHELSEA TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Begovic; Aina, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Oscar, Matic; Willian, Traore, Loftus-Cheek; Pedro

Nice of Chelsea to keep us waiting on the team news, but it has now finally been released! Asmir Begovic is once again given the nod between the sticks for the Blues in place of Thibaut Courtois. Gary Cahill, who scored the winning goal against Liverpool last time out, retains his place in central defence against the brilliant-as-ever John Terry. Cesar Azpilicueta and Ola Aina - both of whom have looked assured this summer - will take up the full-back positions.

Chelsea also appear to have gone with a 4-2-3-1 layout, spearheaded by Pedro who will no doubt cover plenty of space across that attacking third. That means Diego Costa, heavily linked with a return to Atletico Madrid in recent days, misses out. An injury problem is to blame for that, rather than Antonio Conte wanting to take the spotlight off him, while the Italian is also without the suspended Cesc Fabregas for this one.

The three amigos - Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo - once again miss out for Real Madrid this evening. The hip injury picked up by Benzema must be a particular concern for Zidane, as the Frenchman has not played any football through the summer after being omitted from the national side for Euro 2016. Bale and Ronaldo are set to return in the fortnight, but for now returning forward Alvaro Morata is the man Zidane has turned to.

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Well this evening's match is Conte's fourth in charge of the Blues in a senior capacity. Things got off to a shaky start when falling 2-0 at Rapid Vienna a fortnight ago - a defeat that always appeared likely from the off against opponents far further advanced in their summer programme. Then came a more convincing 3-0 win over minnows Wolfsberger and that recent 1-0 triumph over Liverpool in this friendly tournament.

Conte's stock continued to rise during the European Championship finals as his tactics completely outwitted both Belgium and Spain, but he now has a real tough task on his hands at Chelsea following last season's total collapse. Talk of five-at-the-back appears unlikely at this stage, particularly with rumoured target Leonardo Bonucci now likely to remain at Juventus and no deal being struck to land Kalidou Koulibaly.

The two new arrivals at Stamford Bridge so far this summer - N'Golo Kante from Leicester City and Michy Batshuayi from Marseille - both miss out on the starting lineup this evening but could play a part from the bench. Chelsea fans can surely expect another new addition or two prior to the end of the transfer window, but those two players - signed for a combined £65m - will certainly strengthen the squad.

Conte was delighted with the attitude shown by his players in that 1-0 victory over Premier League rivals Liverpool in the States a few days ago, coming via Cahill's early effort, which really got the Blues up-and-running in their pre-season programme. After today's tough test against the European champions, Conte's charges then face AC Milan and Werder Bremen over the next eight days. But the fixture on everyone's mind right now is that opening league fixture against West Ham United in a little over a fortnight's time.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Incredibly for two sides who regularly compete in European competition, Chelsea and Real Madrid have met on just three previous occasions in competitive matches. The Blues are unbeaten during that run, winning two and drawing one. The last time they met was in the 1997-98 Super Cup final; Gus Poyet's late winner securing victory for the West London outfit at the Stade Louis II.

While Chelsea have now started to find their feet under Conte this summer, Madrid's pre-season is yet to hit full swing. Los Blancos' first match ended in a convincing defeat to PSG in this competition; three first-half goals putting the French side well in control before Marcelo pulled one back prior to the interval. Zidane rotated his squad heavily on that occasion, changing all 11 players at the break, but we could see a more settled team this evening.

Being without their Euro 2016 stars, as well as leading striker Benzema, is hardly ideal for Zidane in what is his first summer as a senior manager. The Frenchman will be delighted by his first taste of life in the Bernabeu hot seat, with a stellar run of form in the closing months of the season seeing Madrid win an 11th Champions League crown - just about! - and narrowly miss out on a title that for so long looked well out of their grasp.

That La Liga title race really will be thrilling once again this coming season. Atletico have continued to purchase smartly, bringing Kevin Gameiro on board to link with compatriot Antoine Griezmann, while Barcelona are, well, Barcelona - a trophy-winning machine! Before any talk of potential titles and a potential 12th European Cup success, Zidane must get his players up to speed in a formation that he does not exactly favour. He has already admitted that 4-3-3 is his set-up of choice, but that is near impossible with three star men missing tonight.

N'Golo Kante joined Chelsea from champions Leicester City in a deal worth around £32m earlier this summer. Fans of the West London outfit have been made to wait to see their midfield battler put on the shirt, but he has been warming up at The Big House pre-match this evening and will almost certainly be given some playing time at some point. Nemanja Matic and Oscar will sit deepest from the off.

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Morata is the only arrival at the Bernabeu so far this summer. The Spanish giants invoked a buy-back clause inserted into his Juventus contract but, rather cunningly, could be tempted to sell him on at double the price should any side - Chelsea included - make a bid. Zidane will need to keep hold of Morata for now, however, with Benzema injured and both Bale and Ronaldo likely to be playing catch-up in the opening weeks of the season.

Madrid have also been linked with Pogba in what is the transfer saga of the summer, while Marco Verratti is another who could potentially be on his way to the Spanish capital if reports are to be believed. In terms of Los Blancos' summer programme, they still have a game against Bayern Munich - managed by former boss Carlo Ancelotti, of course - to come this week, before turning attention to a Super Cup clash with Sevilla a week on Tuesday.

With kickoff now a little over 15 minutes away, let us turn our attention to some pre-match talk from both camps.

Antonio Conte: "I was pleased with my team because I saw the right spirit and a lot of positive things. But I know and my players know that we can improve a lot. I am pleased with the attitude and also that when we played with 10 men we didn't suffer. Don't forget we are working very hard with two training sessions every day and it is a good attitude. The most important thing was to see the right spirit in my team and the will to fight to win a friendly game. This is the right way."

Zinedine Zidane: "We can't have this result happening again. But what we have to do and what we are trying to do, is to give our all when we play. We are currently in the preparation phase and we have to get up to speed, that's what pre-season is for. We know that the Liga season is a very long one and that we have to make a strong start."

Conte, speaking there after Chelsea's win over Liverpool, clearly happy with the efforts of his players thus far. When a manager comes into a new club they will always have a big task on their hands, of course, but for Conte at Chelsea it seems that little bit tougher. A new country, new players, potentially a new system and so little time to get it right before the real thing gets underway. Hence the double training sessions, which will go a long way to making the Blues the fittest team in the division.

Similar thoughts from Zidane, too, who has talked up the importance of getting things right at this stage of the summer in terms of fitness. Madrid are always expected to prolong their season right until the full-time whistle on the final day, competing for silverware on three fronts - the Copa del Rey, La Liga and Champions League - so being at peak fitness really is vital. Incidentally, Los Blancos kick their campaign off away at Real Sociedad on the opening day.

PREDICTION! Never easy to call the result of a pre-season fixture but, as the Chelsea-Liverpool match went to show earlier this week, the intensity certainly will not be lacking. The Blues have two more games to go before getting their league campaign underway, while their opponents have one friendly match left ahead of the Super Cup showdown with Sevilla. I'm going to back Conte's charges to edge tonight's match with a 2-1 win.

Both sets of players have made their way back to the dressing room area, with kickoff now under 10 minutes away at this hugely impressive ground. There is another International Champions Cup fixture currently taking place, incidentally, which Barcelona lead 3-1 against Celtic in Dublin. PSG currently top the standings thanks to two victories, while Chelsea are third with three points and Madrid one of three sides yet to get off the mark.

That other ICC match has just concluded - Barcelona beating Celtic 3-1 to get their pre-season campaign underway in an efficient manner. All eyes now turn to The Big House in Ann Arbor - the second-biggest stadium in the world. This will hopefully be an entertaining contest for the neutral, with as many as 100,000 expected to be in attendance this evening.

The two sets of players are now out on the field of play. Real Madrid, arguably most glamorous side in world football, and reigning European champions at that, will be favourites before a ball is kicked. But Chelsea are further advanced in their summer schedule and will be well on top of things in terms of fitness - Conte's double sessions to thank for that - so an evenly-matched affair can be expected.

Here is an aerial view of the impressive Michigan Stadium, taken during Real Madrid's meeting with Manchester United here two summers ago. It is the biggest sporting arena in the whole of the United States and the second biggest in the world. No better place to host two giants of European football, then...

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KICKOFF! Real Madrid, sporting their traditional all-white strip, get us underway at the Michigan Stadium. The 11-time European champions against the five-time champions of English football - a real heavyweight battle that has been given the green light to go ahead despite heavy showers.

CHANCE! Shambolic defending from Madrid, as they fail to deal with Willian's free kick into the box. Terry could not control the ball when left clean through, but Matic did get a weak shot away from a few yards out for Casilla to deal with.

SAVE! What a start to the game this has been! A Vazquez cross into the box is simple enough for Matic to deal with on the face of it, but he aims to head it back to Begovic only for the Chelsea keeper to be left back-peddling. Blushes spared, with a scooping save to clear the ball away.

So a real frenetic start to this match, then, with both sides coming close to making a breakthrough inside the opening five minutes. Worth mentioning that Thibaut Courtois will be replacing Begovic at half time, while Kante is unlikely to feature at any point.

Very, very scrappy in midfield at the moment. Neither side truly able to put their stamp on the contest, but Chelsea now looking to put some passing moves together in an attempt to work the ball up the field.

Oscar challenges Kovacic right on the edge of the box in what many thought was a certain free kick, but the referee allowed play to continue. Chelsea spring the first counter of the match through Pedro, though he comically runs the ball straight out of play.

Chelsea looking by far the better team in terms of putting together some passing moves. Still just the one chance so far, which Terry and Matic failed to make the most of inside the opening few minutes at the Michigan Stadium.

Morata has probably been Madrid's brightest player so far, but we have not seen all that much from Los Blancos in an attacking sense. A subdued atmosphere, despite close to 100,000 being in attendance in The Big House - a very apt nickname for a stadium of this size!

Hazard is another Chelsea player we've been told will be introduced at the interval, so a change of formation could be on the cards if Pedro was to be replaced. Not a great deal of action over the past 10 minutes or so after such a bright start to the match.

It's two in two for skipper Marcelo, who fires Madrid ahead with a real bullet of a strike. The full-back was allowed to skip inside by Willian, before letting leash from 20 yards out with a strike that took a touch off Oscar on its way past a bamboozled Begovic.

Marcelo turning provider now, sending in a brilliantly floated cross for Asensio to get on the end of. The youngster, impressive against PSG earlier this week, fails to do anything when picked out and a goal kick is awarded to Chelsea.

SAVE! A poorly-timed challenge from Cahill on Vazquez gifts Madrid a free kick 30 yards from goal, which Vazquez sends in for Varane to head on goal. Begovic, perhaps annoyed by the manner in which he was beaten by Marcelo a little earlier, pulls off a superb stop to deny the defender.

Make that three in two games for Marcelo - a full-back, remember! The Brazilian just waltzed right through the Chelsea backline, via a quick give-and-go, before tucking the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Begovic to double his personal tally for the evening.

YELLOW CARD! Bertrand Traore shown a yellow card by the referee for what was perceived as being a deliberate handball. With Ronaldo absent, Casemiro puts his boot through the ball but Begovic is equal to it and pushes it aside.

Pedro now on the right having swapped flanks with Willian. Marcelo dictating things down that flank so he will need to closely track his opponents. The game has just quietened down over the past two minutes, but it is Madrid who are well on top.

YELLOW CARD! Asensio certainly doing his first-team hopes no harm this evening, with his latest driving run only being halted by Pedro's sliding challenge which sees him earn the game's second yellow card.

Chelsea taking a huge risk by holding a high line when a free kick comes into the box. Nacho got on the end of it with four teammates to square to, but the offside flag was already raised on the far side.

Real Madrid are taking Chelsea apart here. Marcelo again involved in the move which leads to the third - and surely decisive - strike, but this one was all about Mariano. The youngster put his boot through the ball from fully 30 yards out with a dipping effort that left Begovic beaten for a third time.

Chelsea actually started this game the brighter and, incredibly, look the more solid when it comes to finding their defensive shape. Madrid have stormed into a three-goal advantage inside 40 minutes, though, and it could get embarrassing at this rate.

Pedro with another bad challenge which could well have earned him a second yellow card in a competitive fixture. Not on this occasion, however, with the referee just giving him a little talking to. Almost a case of bad to worse for Chelsea!

YELLOW CARD! Cahill becomes the third Chelsea to receive a caution after mistiming a challenge. Conte will just be desperate for the half-time whistle to blow, with two changes - Hazard and Courtois - already planned.

So Real Madrid take a three-goal lead into the interval, having completely dominated the core of that first half. They trailed by the same scoreline against PSG earlier this week, but it is a different story tonight as two goals from Marcelo and a Mariano bullet sees them take a convincing lead into the second half of this friendly match.

It could have been a different story entirely had Chelsea taken their only chance of the half, which arrived just two minutes in. Matic latched on to Willian's free-kick delivery but could not lift the ball over Casilla. Begovic was by far the busier keeper, and was first called into action moments later to palm aside Matic's headed backpass.

Marcelo's first goal arrived 19 minutes in when being given the chance to skip inside and fire a real cracker past Begovic, via a telling touch off Oscar. The Brazilian full-back had a second to his name seven minutes later, this time when waltzing through the opposition defence and tucking into the bottom corner. Begovic had two more stops to make, before Mariano added a third with the sweetest of dipping strikes.

As mentioned in that first half, Chelsea already have two changes lined up for the interval but Conte will surely want to make mass changes after a dismal opening 45 minutes from his side.

A few Chelsea changes are expected at the break. Antonio Conte said yesterday we would likely see Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard. #CFCTour — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 30, 2016

RESTART! We are back underway at The Big House in Ann Arbor. Madrid were out much earlier than their opponents, which is presumably down to Conte wanting to use every last second of the interval to blast his players' poor first-half showing.

Time to get up to speed with the changes made by both sides. Four Chelsea alterations in all - Courtois, Chalobah, Cuadrado and Batshuayi replacing Begovic, Oscar, Willian and Loftus-Cheek for this second half. Danilo has come on for Madrid, meanwhile, but otherwise it looks to be as you were.

Madrid did concede three times in one half earlier this week, remember, so one Chelsea goal could change things. The Blues looking more composed since the restart but not particularly looking likely to break their duck.

SAVE! Cuadrado, one of those brought on at the break, lashes a free kick high over the bar. Much better from Chelsea, though, as Batshuayi digs the ball out from under his feet to force Casilla into just a second save of the evening.

No sign of those storms that had been predicted before the match. This game was in doubt of taking place at one point but Madrid are certainly glad that it got the go-ahead by tournament officials.

YELLOW CARD! A late Casemiro challenge is enough to earn him a yellow card - Madrid's first of the night. Los Blancos have taken their foot off the gas in this second half, instead allowing Chelsea to attack.

No idea what Casilla is doing here, as he races into no man's land to leave his side exposed at the back Traore gets to the ball first, though his attempt from a tight angle is cleared away by one of the Madrid players racing back into position.

A rather bland opening 15 minutes to this second half, with Madrid not really looking to push forward too much - understandably. Both managers may now be thinking about making another raft of changes as the hour mark comes and goes.

Zidane ready to bring on the Madrid youth team, by the look of things on the touchline. James Rodriguez may also be introduced, with as many as eight players ready to enter the fray with 28 minutes to play in Michigan.

Batshuayi goes down in the box when muscled out by two opposition players, but the referee was having none of it and tells the new Chelsea star to get back to his feet. A pause in play now for those Madrid changes I mentioned...

CHELSEA SUB! Eden Hazard is on for Pedro in Chelsea's only alteration; meanwhile, on comes Llorente for Madrid who have a whole raft of youth-team players now on the field of play. One of them almost waltzed through in Marcelo style, only for Terry to halt him with a fine challenge.

So very little by the way of goalmouth action in this second half, I'm afraid. Just the one shot so far - Batshuayi doing well to get an attempt on goal from the edge of the box which Ruben Yanez was equal to down low.

The attendance has just been officially announced at 105,126 - the second-biggest attendance of all time for a soccer match in the United States. The record? That belongs to Real Madrid, with 110,000 in attendance to see them lose to Manchester United here two years ago.

SHOT! Mariano Diaz tries his luck from a similar range to earlier when adding Madrid's third of the night, but this time his attempt is well wide of the target which is now being protected by Courtois.

CLOSE! Probably the best passing move of the match, but when Chalobah was through on goal he rather dragged his shot from the tight angle. Victor Moses now on for Traore as the changes continue to come in Michigan.

So Chelsea can take some positives away from this second-half performance so far, but the damage really was done in the opening 45 minutes. Madrid have shown very little attacking intent, in truth, having raced three goals to the good in the first half.

YELLOW CARD! A fifth yellow card of the match, this time being shown to Enzo Zidane for a sloppy challenge. Chelsea fail to make the most of the well-positioned set-piece, with the shot eventually being blasted high over the bar.

Hazard pulls one back for Chelsea on his first run-out of pre-season. A hopeful ball over the top was quickly latched on to by the Belgian international, who made the most of Ruben Yanez's questionable goalkeeping to round the keeper and tuck the ball home.

All Chelsea now in these final seven minutes. Cuadrado sends a decent delivery across the face of goal that Batshuayi cannot quite get on the end of. Madrid have sat back for too much in this second half and could still pay the price.

Batshuayi, 19 yards from goal, curls his free kick just a few inches wide of the intended target. Five minutes left to play in Michigan and it is Chelsea who are ending the game the better of the two sides.

Batshuayi again involved, but he takes a little too long on this occasion and sees his shot deflect off the bar. We now have a spectator on the field at The Big House - the second of the evening - which is taking a fair bit of time to resolve.

Just over a minute left to play in Ann Arbor and no real sign of any sort of dramatic conclusion here. Hazard did pull one back to give Chelsea a glimmer of hope, but Madrid now looking comfortable enough heading into the final throes.

Chelsea have a second in the closing stages in Michigan; Ruben Yanez again making Hazard's task far easier than it should have been after the Belgian was slipped clean through. Still time for the most unlikeliest of levellers here!

The referee blows for full time, bringing to an end what was an entertaining contest on the whole. Five goals and almost some incredible drama late on, but Hazard's second strike of the match came just too deep into added time for Chelsea to launch another attack.

Well that concludes Sports Mole's live text updates of events at the Michigan Stadium. Be sure to join us again next week with more coverage from the International Champions Cup.