Five Takeaways As Chelsea Finish Preseason With Eventful Victory Over Real Sociedad

Chelsea finished their preseason campaign by beating Real Sociedad 3–1 in a friendly on Saturday.

Xabi Alonso took to the Stamford Bridge dugout for the first time against his former employers, and it took just nine minutes for his new $157 million signing Morgan Rogers to tap home the opening goal on his unofficial debut.

Jon Aramburu’s beautiful volley leveled proceedings on the cusp of halftime, but João Pedro’s header restored Chelsea’s advantage just two minutes after the restart.

The striker proceeded to find the net again in the 77th minute, sprinting in behind the visiting defense before applying a composed finish into the bottom corner to wrap up the win.

Alonso Provides Massive Hint

Xabi Alonso — Alonso’s team selection was telling. | Chelsea Football Club/Getty Images

With only eight days until Chelsea’s first Premier League fixture, Alonso was always likely to choose his strongest available XI—thus offering supporters insight into his possible selection for his first competitive fixture at the helm against Fulham.

Having deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation early in preseason, Alonso once again reverted to the 3-4-2-1 system which yielded so much success at Bayer Leverkusen. The setup was also used against AC Milan last weekend, resulting in an impressive 3–0 victory.

There were personnel changes from that triumph. Robert Sánchez continued between the posts, blocked by a back three of Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill. Captain Reece James stepped into midfield alongside Moisés Caicedo, while Pedro Neto and Marco Palestra acted as flying wingbacks. A fearsome front three of João Pedro, Cole Palmer and Rogers led the line.

A mixed performance means places are still up for grabs, but a similar XI is expected for the upcoming west London derby with Fulham.

Notable Absentees

Chelsea’s bloated squad was without three members for the visit of Real Sociedad. The out-of-favor trio of Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Tosin Adarabioyo were all omitted from the matchday roster entirely.

No official explanation was given for their absence, but one doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to put two and two together. They were undoubtedly snubbed due to possible summer exits as Chelsea seek to avoid an untimely injury that would thwart a potential transfer.

Delap has recently been linked with a move to Como, which would see him team up with former teammate Trevoh Chalobah and ex-Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, while Nicolas Jackson is reportedly of interest to Aston Villa and others. Benfica, now managed by Tosin’s former Fulham manager Marco Silva, have been touted with a move for the center back.

It seems Alonso has made up his mind as their Chelsea careers draw to a close.

Defensive Cracks Appear

Chelsea defenders — Chelsea’s defense struggled at stages. | Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

After a commanding start in west London, Chelsea’s new-look shape made for worrying viewing. Their visitors created an abundance of opportunities throughout the first period, with some smart saves from Sánchez required before the inevitable and deserved equalizer. There was acres of space in behind a disjointed back three, and the two-man midfield was unable to provide an effective shield.

The Basque side managed 10 shots to Chelsea’s three before the break, with four of those efforts on target, and had more touches in the opposition box. A lack of pressure on the ball allowed Real Sociedad to dictate play with direct, vertical passes that stretched a defense often found scrambling. Gaps in between the wingbacks and wide center halves were often exposed by willing runners.

Chelsea certainly improved after the restart, reasserting the dominance exhibited during the opening 15 minutes, but Alonso will still be concerned by what he witnessed in the first half. Premier League sides might not be as merciful as Real Sociedad were.

Chelsea’s Pedros Shine

While not every blue jersey dazzled, Chelsea’s namesakes, João Pedro and Pedro Neto, were two of their brightest performers.

After a hat trick against Western Sydney Wanderers and brace versus AC Milan, Pedro took his tally to seven strikes in five friendlies with yet another double—an excellent header followed by a clinical low drive. There’s a reason Chelsea consider him utterly untouchable following Barcelona transfer interest.

Pedro was also involved in the opener as another goalward header was rebuffed into the path of Rogers for the simplest of finishes, but it was Neto who delivered the initial cross to his striker. It was just one example of the quality he can still provide in an unfamiliar wing back role.

The 26-year-old motored up and down the right flank in characteristically frenetic fashion, chasing every lost cause and often triggering the first press. It’s the kind of attitude Chelsea will sorely miss if he leaves the club this summer amid intensifying exit rumors.

Enzo Fernández’s Mixed Reception

All eyes turned to the Chelsea touchline when Enzo Fernández was readied as a substitute. After publicly flirting with Real Madrid last season and antagonizing supporters worldwide with his antics at the World Cup, it was perhaps unsurprising he received an awkward reception from the Stamford Bridge crowd.

Fernández’s arrival was initially met with boos from chunks of the home faithful, swiftly followed by fans chanting his name. The midfielder has long divided the fanbase, with Saturday’s friendly no different.

Of course, particular attention has been paid to the Argentina international over recent days amid links with Manchester City, where he could team up with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. The Blues reportedly offered their Premier League rivals an ultimatum, demanding $162 million by 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT) on Friday for a deal to take place.

That deadline has now passed, with no bid launched for Fernández. However, the saga is not over until the window shuts on Sept. 1, meaning it’s still unclear whether this was his final match as a Chelsea player.

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