Xabi Alonso will come up against familiar faces on Saturday when Chelsea welcome Real Sociedad to Stamford Bridge for their final match of pre-season.
Although the fixture is only a friendly, it represents another significant moment in Alonso’s developing managerial career.
Chelsea enter the fixture with confidence after defeating AC Milan 3-0 in the Indonesia Super Cup on Saturday, August 8. João Pedro scored twice before Moisés Caicedo completed an impressive victory in Jakarta.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, have endured a mixed pre-season under Pellegrino Matarazzo. The Spanish side have recorded two wins, three defeats and one draw across their six friendly matches.
The final pre-season test at Stamford Bridge will therefore provide Alonso with another opportunity to assess his squad before the competitive campaign begins.
Team News
Alonso has this week welcomed back his World Cup participants who went deep: captain Reece James, Manchester City-linked Enzo Fernandez and record signing Morgan Rogers, as well as new signing Maxence Lacroix and Malo Gusto, the latter of whom has an uncertain future.
Having ended last season in fine form, scoring in three consecutive matches and in four of the last five, Orri Oskarsson has netted in three of five pre-season games, making him the visiting club’s leading goalscoring threat.
Possible Lineups
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Sanchez; Palestra, Fofana, Colwill, Hato; Caicedo, Lavia; Estevao, Palmer, Gittens; Joao Pedro
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Aramburu, Martin, Zubeldia, Gomez; Herrera, Turrientes; Barrenetxea, Soler, Marchal; Oskarsson
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SportyTv, dstv |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 14:00(WAT) |
Match predictions
Softfootball predicts Chelsea 3-1 Real Sociedad
