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Morgan Rogers scored less than 10 minutes into his Chelsea debut before Jon Aramburu levelled the score just before half-time. Two João Pedro goals in the second half secured the win for Chelsea, although the biggest story of the second 45 was the introduction of Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea’s number 8 received boos and cheers from different areas of Stamford Bridge as he replaced Reece James - both by taking his position in midfield and by taking over the captain’s armband. Team news Xabi Alonso selected three of this summer’s additions to start in SW6, including Maxence Lacroix and record signing Morgan Rogers. Reece James also made his return to captain the team, having returned from the World Cup later than most of his teammates. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad have made very few changes to their squad since the end of the 2025/26 season. Seven of the players who began their final game against Espanyol also started today - with the remaining four on the bench. Story of the match Chelsea started the match brighter and came close after a little more than five minutes. Good combination play between Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer saw the ball cleared to the edge of the box and Moises Caicedo, whose shot flashed just wide. Soon after they opened the scoring through Rogers. João Pedro’s header forced a good save from Alex Remiro but the England international was at the back post to follow up. It was the visitors' turn to put the pressure on Chelsea following the goal. Captain Ander Barrenetxea was given time and space to shoot from range but put his effort the wrong side of the post. Chelsea's attacking approach João Pedro played an interesting role - starting as a typical number nine but often dropping deep to receive the ball while the likes of Rogers, Neto and Marco Palestra ran ahead of him. This combined with the pace of both wing-backs allowed Chelsea to approach the game with a more direct attacking plan. James and Levi Colwill would often look to play a ball over the top, either for the wide players to chase or for the central players to hold up. While Real Sociedad began the game in a defensive shape, they became more expansive as they grew into it, which made for a more balanced affair. The match stopped at the midway point of the half to give the players a chance to hydrate themselves. Despite the scorching conditions in London, the break was met by boos around Stamford Bridge following the discussion which surrounded such breaks at the World Cup. A half played in transition The first chance once play resumed was for Real Sociedad, who had a free kick on the edge of the box. Take Kubo’s effort hit the wall but Chelsea struggled to clear and ultimately needed a last ditch block to bail them out. With the Spanish side focusing particularly on putting crosses into the box, the Chelsea fans saw the first signs of Maxence Lacroix’s exceptional aerial prowess. The French defender was often first to the ball, even when in a crowd, and looked very comfortable at the centre of the Blues back three. As the first 45 minutes drew to a close, there were half chances for both teams as they each looked to score the second goal of the game. Both looked as though they were aiming to find a forward making a run between the lines - which meant there were consistent turnovers in possession. The clock had just ticked over to the 45th minute when Jon Aramburu slammed in a volley from the edge of the area. He was left in lots of space by a Chelsea defence who struggled to clear their lines, but regardless hit the ball extremely well to beat Robert Sanchez. Second half Neither manager made any changes at half-time, with the first competitive match of the season coming up for both. Chelsea were ahead again within two minutes as Remiro could do nothing to stop João Pedro’s header this time around. Cole Palmer provided the quality delivery for him to attack. The number 10 already looked to be more involved in the second half. The Brazilian was a constant threat for Chelsea with many players around him well-positioned to create chances. If not for the strong blocks made by visiting defenders, he may have had a hattrick within the first 10 minutes of the half. Enzo Fernandez returns to Stamford Bridge Substitutes emerged from both benches just before the hour mark and joined the fray with half an hour left to play. One of these was Enzo Fernandez, playing despite the discussion around his future at the club - which was reflected in the crowd reaction as he replaced James. Other Blues changes included young goalkeeper Mike Penders, while Malo Gusto and Josh Acheampong joined the defensive line. Each of the three outfield players replaced were those who went furthest with their respective countries at the World Cup. Real Sociedad welcomed back Mikel Oyarzabal, who led the line for Spain throughout their World Cup winning campaign. Enzo Fernandez continued to receive a varied reaction from the crowd each time he touched the ball, although he appeared to maintain trust from his colleagues and manager as he took the captain’s armband from James after taking his place in the lineup. Intensity decreases in the heat The game understandably began to slow down for the final 15 minutes, with players competing under the beaming sun. Another set of Chelsea changes meant almost the entire starting 11 had been replaced and Pep Chavarria became the latest summer signing to make his debut. Immediately after the game paused for the substitutes to come on, the only remaining starter gave the Blues a two goal cushion. João Pedro was played through by Malo Gusto before producing a composed but powerful finish. Not long after, Pellegrino Matarazzo appeared to think the same, bringing on a number of players in hopes to freshen up his team for the final 10 minutes. Chelsea, however, still looked the most likely to score as João Pedro almost had his hattrick before his compatriot Estêvão blazed over on the follow-up. Player of the match - João Pedro The Brazilian striker scored two goals in the second half, having already helped to set up the first for Rogers. However, he contributed so much more to the Chelsea team. Over the course of the game he truly showcased his adaptability as a striker. There were moments of strong hold up play, intelligent runs in behind the defence and a technical edge to his game which kept him involved in much of the Blues’ build up play. If his player of the season showing over the past year had not already confirmed his place in the team, João Pedro proved his quality all over again throughout pre-season.