Chelsea defeat Real Sociedad 3-1 in pre-season friendly
Chelsea secured a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad in their final pre-season friendly, with manager Xabi Alonso providing further indications of his tactical approach for the upcoming Premier League season. The match, played at Stamford Bridge, saw Morgan Rogers score on his debut and Joao Pedro net two goals.
For the third consecutive match, Chelsea adopted a back three formation, mirroring Alonso’s successful 3-4-3 system previously employed at Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the team to a Bundesliga title in 2024. This formation was also used in their 3-0 win against AC Milan, which was described as their best pre-season performance.
Alonso’s tactical approach and player performances
Morgan Rogers, a British-record signing, made his debut and scored within 10 minutes of the match. Defender Maxence Lacroix also debuted for Chelsea. Despite the early goal, Chelsea faced challenges in the first half, playing too deep and struggling to press their LaLiga opponents. Real Sociedad equalised before half-time through Jon Mikel Aramburu’s volley, following several saves by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
After the break, Chelsea showed significant improvement. Joao Pedro scored his first goal two minutes into the second half from a cross by Reece James. He later added his seventh pre-season goal with a tidy finish. Pedro is currently Chelsea’s primary striker, having scored seven goals in five appearances during pre-season. His role is particularly significant given the absence of other recognised strikers like Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap, whose futures at the club are uncertain, and Danny Welbeck, who was also not included in the squad.
Alonso’s 3-4-3 formation demonstrated fluidity, at times appearing like a four-man defence with Moises Caicedo dropping back and Wesley Fofana pushing wide. The wing-backs, Pedro Neto and Marco Palaestra, were often positioned in a back five, while Rogers and Cole Palmer played as inside forwards. This system is considered suitable for Maxence Lacroix, who excelled in the middle centre-back position at Crystal Palace.
Despite the second-half improvements, the formation is still a work in progress. Alonso has the flexibility within his squad to switch to a four-man defence if needed, but he maintained the back three even after making multiple substitutions in the second half. The initial issues in the first half, where Chelsea sat too deep and struggled to press, were addressed by playing higher up the pitch after the break, which facilitated their press and put pressure on Real Sociedad.
Enzo Fernandez’s mixed reception
Midfielder Enzo Fernandez received a mixed reaction from supporters when he was introduced as a 62nd-minute substitute. His appearance was met with both boos and cheers, with some fans chanting his name. This reception followed recent transfer links between Fernandez and Manchester City. Reports indicate that Manchester City missed Chelsea’s deadline to bid for the midfielder, suggesting Fernandez is expected to remain at Chelsea for the 2026/27 season.
There have also been past links between Fernandez and Real Madrid, stemming from his own comments in April about a desire to move to Madrid one day, which led to him being dropped from the first team for two games. The reasons for the mixed reception are varied, potentially including the links to direct rivals or his involvement in Argentina’s World Cup antics against England and Spain, the home countries of the two teams playing on Saturday.
The booing for Fernandez reportedly decreased as the game progressed, eventually being overshadowed by cheers and chants of his name. He remains a key player for Chelsea and is likely central to Alonso’s plans for the team. Chelsea’s Premier League campaign is scheduled to begin against Fulham on August 24.
Source: skysports.com
