Chelsea vs. Inter: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Chelsea and Inter Milan face off in the most intriguing matchup of the opening round of the 2013 International Champions Cup. The winner will advance to the semifinals to battle AC Milan, while the loser will go up against Valencia.

The Blues enter the tournament as one of the top contenders. The club's depth, especially in the midfield, bodes well for a preseason event. Managers from all clubs will be hoping to work in a lot of different players, but with the London club's strength in depth, they shouldn't suffer a major drop off regardless of the lineup.

Inter are looking to bounce back after a frustrating campaign in which they finished in the middle of the Serie A pack. A strong showing in this tournament would provide some much-needed confidence as they continue to prepare for the new campaign.

Here's a look at all the important information for the Round 1 matchup, followed by a preview and a prediction for which club will move one step closer to the title.

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

When: Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. BT)

Watch: Fox Soccer Channel

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Preview

Chelsea supporters have every reason to be excited about the upcoming season, even if other Premier League clubs are generating more hype. The Blues have done a nice job of building a championship-caliber squad for returning manager Jose Mourinho.

The reason for optimism starts in the midfield with the trio of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar. In those three players, the Blues have a tremendous combination of skill and depth. What's more, dominating the middle of the pitch is a major step toward success.

That goes for the International Champions Cup, as well. Aside from the Los Angeles Galaxy from the MLS, none of the other clubs are in midseason form, so Chelsea can really take advantage of that by controlling matches in the midfield.

The biggest concern, especially in a preseason tournament that will likely feature plenty of wide-open play, is who will provide the finishing touch for the Blues. It's been a lingering concern in recent seasons, highlighted by the inconsistent production from Fernando Torres.

It puts pressure on the likes of Demba Ba, Andre Schuerrle and Romelu Lukaku to have a strong finish to the preseason. If even one of them can step up, Chelsea's attack will be very dangerous.

As for Inter Milan, the club is hoping for a better combination of luck when it comes to injuries and also better form. There were times last season when Inter still looked like a top club in Italy, but those stretches didn't last nearly long enough.

Rodrigo Palacio provides the Nerazzurri with a stabilizing force atop the attack. The veteran Argentine international scored 22 goals across all competitions last season, showing no signs of slowing down in the process.

Matching Chelsea in the midfield will be the tough challenge in the opener, though. Esteban Cambiasso is surrounded by a lot of talented young players who are still getting used to the high-profile nature of these types of matchups, even in preseason.

All told, this should be an exciting match that features a good number of chances at both ends of the pitch. Chelsea should hold a slight advantage overall, and since neither team has the home edge, the Blues should squeak past Inter.

Prediction: Chelsea 3, Inter 2