Aston Villa and Blackburn join Chelsea for Asia Trophy

Chelsea will be joined by Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Blackburn at the Barclays Asia Trophy in Hong Kong next summer.

The Premier League-affiliated pre-season tournament will also feature the Hong Kong First Division League champions, with the teams participating in a knock-out event.

Semi-finals will be played on Wednesday, July 27, with the final and third-place matches on Saturday, July 30.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti believes the fixtures will slot in suitably with his club's pre-season plans.

Ancelotti said: "We look forward to taking part in the Barclays Asia Trophy having played matches and trained in Malaysia and Thailand before the tournament begins. Games against two Premier League sides and the Hong Kong champions will provide excellent preparation for the team ahead of the start of next season."