For Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, our summer tour of the USA has a little extra meaning.

The Blues' preparations for the 2024/25 campaign will step up across the Atlantic in late July as we visit five cities in five states. High-profile matches are planned at each stop, with four coming against league champions.

Our first is against Wrexham in Santa Clara, California. The second sees us face Celtic in Notre Dame, Indiana. The third comes against Club America in Atlanta, Georgia. We then take on against Man City in Columbus, Ohio, before finishing with a clash with Real Madrid in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Petrovic has plenty of firsthand experience of performing in front of a U.S. crowd. He did so throughout his time with New England Revolution and his performances with the MLS club earned him a move to Chelsea.

That opportunity was one Petrovc could not turn down – and the fact he made 31 appearances for Chelsea during the 2023/24 season proved it was the right choice.

Yet the 24-year-old remains hugely appreciative of the time he spent in the USA and is looking forward to returning and reuniting with friends made during his 16-month stay in Boston.

‘My time there was very important for me,' Petrovic explains. 'And I didn't expect that after 16 months I'd be signing for Chelsea. But I only have good memories of Boston and New England.

‘I have a lot of friends in America and I think they will come to watch the matches against Man City and Real Madrid as it’s not so far from Boston. I am excited to go back and see them. On and off the pitch, I had a really good time there.'

Petrovic will be in familiar surroundings at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. He played at both during his time with New England.

He has fond memories of the latter, which saw the Serbia international shutout the home side in a 1-0 victory at the start of the 2023 season.

'I remember well because we won and I kept a clean sheet,' says Petrovic with a smile. 'There were nearly 70,000 supporters there if I remember right and it was a really good atmosphere in the stadium. You could feel it.

'The fans in America, they are very passionate. They love to see us and the big clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid. For us, it's good too because we can connect with them in a good way.

'Playing against Real Madrid there [Charlotte] will be a really good experience. They are one of the best teams in the world, Champions League finalists, and it will be good for us to play against them as we get ready for the season.'

Chelsea’s USA Tour 2024