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Absolute Chelsea "Emotional" - Xabi Alonso Sends Message To Stamford Bridge Crowd After Chelsea's Win Over Real Sociedad Xabi Alonso got his first win at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea manager as the team concluded their pre-season on a positive note. Xabi Alonso was full of praise for the Chelsea supporters for their “great reception” in the team’s 3-1 pre-season win over Real Sociedad on Saturday afternoon. It was the last pre-season game of their six-game schedule before the beginning of the 2026/27 season and Alonso’s first experience of the Stamford Bridge atmosphere as Chelsea manager. Some of the summer signings also got to play their first game in Chelsea blue, such as Maxence Lacroix and Morgan Rogers, who made the starting 11, and Pep Chavarria, who came on as a substitute in the second half. The Blues beat the La Liga side thanks to Rogers’ first Chelsea goal and Joao Pedro’s second-half brace. It was a relatively competitive first half, but Chelsea were clearly the more dominant side after the break, which saw the hosts claim victory and head into the upcoming campaign on a winning note. Alonso, who was introduced to the crowd pre-match, enjoyed his first home match and made that clear in his post-match remarks. “It was emotional to feel my first time in the new home,” the Spaniard told Chelsea’s in-house media after the game. “A great reception from the supporters to the team and to the new staff, myself as well, so delighted. “We want to create good connections and have that support. We want to give them good football so they will give us energy, and we connect. “To have a good atmosphere here in the stadium will be a massive boost for the team.” There were mixed reactions from the crowd when Enzo Fernandez came on as a substitute after the hour mark. The Argentina international’s transfer link to rivals Manchester City was unsurprisingly badly received by some supporters. He did receive boos from sections of the crowd when he came on. However, chants of support also countered them and showed support for the Argentine, who also wore the armband when Reece James was brought off. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge was overall positive, and the comfortable win helped. Still plenty of homework for Alonso Chelsea recorded three wins (Western Sydney Wanderers, AC Milan, Real Sociedad), two defeats (Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus), and one draw (Johor Darul Ta’zim) from their six pre-season games this summer. Alonso still has over a week left to prepare his team for the season-opening game against west London neighbours Fulham at Craven Cottage on August 24. Offensively, the team have looked quite convincing, especially with Joao Pedro’s red-hot form up front. However, there is certainly room for improvement defensively. While the trio of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Rogers is expected to be Chelsea’s primary front three to start the season, there remain questions over Alonso’s preferred back three or back five. For example, will Reece James continue to play in midfield in the 3-4-2-1 formation? Or will he play in a right centre-back role ahead of Wesley Fofana?