Chelsea wrapped up their pre‑season itinerary with a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad, a result that offered a mixed bag of emotions for the Blues and, more importantly, gave manager Xabi Alonso a clearer picture of the system he may employ when the Premier League season kicks off against Fulham. The match, played at Stamford Bridge, saw the English side line up in a back‑three for the third consecutive friendly, echoing the 3‑4‑5‑2 shape that brought Alonso success at Bayer Leverkusen when they captured the 2024 Bundesliga title. New signings Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix earned their first minutes on the pitch, while veteran goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was tested early by the visitors.
Rogers opened the scoring after just ten minutes, tapping in a simple finish that seemed to set the tone for a dominant display. Yet the early optimism faded as Chelsea struggled to find rhythm in the first half. The team sat low, failed to press effectively, and allowed Sociedad to grow into the game.
Their patience was rewarded when Jon Mikel Aramburu produced a superb volley, forcing Sánchez into a series of saves before finally slipping the ball past him to level the scores just before the break. The second half saw a dramatic shift. Alonso made no changes to his starting eleven, but the players appeared more confident and aggressive. Reece James delivered a pinpoint cross that João Pedro met with a powerful header only two minutes after the restart.
The Brazilian forward, who has been in scintillating form all summer, later added his seventh pre‑season goal with a composed finish that capped a 2-1 lead for the home side. Enzo Fernández, who entered the fray in the 62nd minute, became the focal point of a divided crowd.
Some sections of the stadium booed, reflecting lingering frustration over his rumored move to Manchester City, while other fans broke into chants of his name, demonstrating the affection many still hold for the Argentine midfielder. The mixed reaction underscored the uncertainty surrounding his future, especially after City missed Chelsea's self‑imposed 5pm deadline to submit a bid. Beyond the on‑field drama, the night featured a flurry of transfer gossip. Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas and Kaveh Solhekol reported interest in defender Tosin Ãt’ from Marseille and Benfica, noting his absence from the matchday squad.
Strikers Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson are also expected to depart within the next fortnight, having missed the friendly altogether. Winger Mykhailo Mudryk could be sent out on loan, and Pedro Neto is another name linked with a possible exit. Alonso's tactical experimentation has been evident throughout the pre‑season. After deploying a 4‑2‑3‑1 in the first two friendlies, he switched to a 3‑4‑3 against AC Milan—a match that produced a convincing 3-0 victory and appears to be his preferred formation heading into the league opener.
The system is highly fluid; during the Sociedad game, Chelsea at times resembled a four‑man back line as Moises Caicedo dropped deep to collect the ball and Wesley Fofana drifted wide on the right. Wing‑backs Pedro Neto and Marco Palaestra were tucked into a back five, while Rogers and Cole Palmer operated as inside forwards, offering width and creativity.
The first half exposed clear deficiencies. The Blues were too compact, struggled to break out of their own half, and their pressing distances were too great to be effective. After the interval, however, the team pushed higher up the pitch, compressing space and making it easier to win the ball back. The back three began to dominate the midfield line, and the wing‑backs forced the opposition wingers to retreat, creating more possession opportunities.
Alonso still has the luxury of flexibility. Even with a cascade of substitutions in the second half, the back three remained intact, suggesting he values defensive stability while fine‑tuning attacking patterns. The manager’s ability to switch to a four‑man defence if required adds another layer of adaptability, a crucial trait in a league where opponents vary widely in style. Regarding Fernández, the Argentine remains a pivotal piece for Chelsea.
After a brief period of speculation linking him with Real Madrid—a club he admitted in April he dreams of joining—he was dropped from the first team for two matches. Yet the Blues appear set on retaining him for the 2026/27 campaign, despite the ongoing interest from City and Madrid.
His performances for Argentina at the World Cup, particularly the high‑stakes encounters against England and Spain, have only heightened his profile. Fans' reactions to his substitution were ambiguous.
Some booed perhaps because of the international connection or frustration over potential rival interest, while others cheered, and the hostility waned as the match progressed. By the final whistle, chants of "Oh Enzo Fernández" echoed around the stadium, indicating a prevailing goodwill. João Pedro, meanwhile, has emerged as Chelsea's leading striker heading into the new season. After being omitted from the World Cup squad, he has rebounded with seven goals in five pre‑season outings, cementing his role as the club's primary No.9, albeit partly due to a lack of depth up front.
The absence of Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, and Danny Welbeck from the squad underscores the uncertainty surrounding Chelsea's attacking options. The upcoming Premier League debut against Fulham on Monday Night Football (August 24, 8pm live on Sky Sports) will be the first true test of Alonso's evolving system and the squad's cohesion.
With a busy summer itinerary that included fixtures in Sydney, Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Johor, the Blues have gathered a wealth of experience against diverse opposition. The final pre‑season schedule reads as follows: July 28 – Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers; August 1 – Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham; August 5 – Chelsea 0-1 Juventus; August 8 – Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan; August 9 – Johor Darul Ta'zim 3-3 Chelsea; August 15 – Chelsea 3-1 Real Sociedad. The team now turns its focus to the domestic campaign, hoping the tactical clues revealed in these friendlies will translate into a successful start to the season.