Chelsea Beat Real Sociedad 3-1 in Pre-Season Friendly at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in a pre-season friendly at Stamford Bridge, with Morgan Rogers scoring on his home debut and Joao Pedro adding a second-half brace. The result closed Chelsea’s summer tour on a positive note and marked Xabi Alonso’s first match as manager at the London ground — against the La Liga club where he spent five seasons as a player.

Kickoff was at 2pm BST on a warm afternoon in west London. Real Sociedad pushed hard before the interval, but Chelsea pulled away after the break as Pedro converted twice and Rogers made an immediate impression in his first Stamford Bridge appearance since a £117 million move from Aston Villa.

Editor’s note: This article draws on match coverage from BBC Sport, The Standard, Sports Mole, and 101 Great Goals, August 15, 2026. Lineups and scorers reflect the completed friendly at Stamford Bridge.

Match at a glance

Detail	Information
Competition	Pre-season friendly
Date	Saturday, August 15, 2026
Venue	Stamford Bridge, London
Kickoff	14:00 BST
Final score	Chelsea 3–1 Real Sociedad

Goal timeline

Minute	Team	Scorer	Notes
11’	Chelsea	Morgan Rogers	Tapped in after Joao Pedro’s header was saved by Alex Remiro
45’	Real Sociedad	Jon Aramburu	Left-footed volley from the edge of the box
47’	Chelsea	Joao Pedro	Header from Reece James’s cross
77’	Chelsea	Joao Pedro	Low finish after a through ball from Malo Gusto

How the game unfolded

First half: Rogers strikes, Aramburu replies

Alonso made 11 changes from Chelsea’s 3-3 draw with Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia the previous Sunday, fielding a side that included summer arrivals Maxence Lacroix and Rogers alongside returning World Cup participants.

The hosts took the lead in the 11th minute when Pedro’s header was parried by Remiro and Rogers reacted quickest to fire home from close range — his first goal in a Chelsea shirt at Stamford Bridge.

Real Sociedad grew into the match as the half wore on. Jon Aramburu levelled on the stroke of half-time with a superb left-footed volley from distance that flew past Robert Sanchez, sending visiting supporters into celebration in the away end.

A hydration break interrupted play in the first period, and James spent time in conversation with Alonso near the touchline — a sign of the new manager’s hands-on approach in his first home fixture.

Second half: Pedro takes over

Chelsea restored their lead almost immediately after the restart. James delivered a trademark cross from the right, and Pedro timed his run to the back post to head beyond Remiro in the 47th minute.

Real Sociedad continued to create moments — Take Kubo and Yangel Herrera tested Chelsea’s back line — but Pedro sealed the win in the 77th minute. Gusto, on as a substitute, split the defence with a left-footed through ball, and Pedro raced clear before slotting past Remiro.

Pedro’s brace took his pre-season tally to eight goals and made him the clearest standout on the afternoon. Rogers was bright throughout his debut, while James contributed the assist that swung momentum back Chelsea’s way.

Starting lineups and squad notes

Chelsea XI

Sanchez — Fofana, Lacroix, Colwill, Palestra, James (c), Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Rogers, Joao Pedro

Notable absentees from the matchday squad included Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, and Marc Guiu — three strikers valued collectively at well over £100 million who could still leave before the transfer window closes. Alonso has yet to settle his backup options behind Pedro and Danny Welbeck.

Enzo Fernandez came off the bench in the second half and was booed by sections of the crowd. Chelsea are set to keep the Argentina midfielder after no club met their £120 million valuation before Friday’s deadline, following a collapsed move to Manchester City.

Other summer signings including Jordan Henderson, Valentin Barco, and Pep Chavarria were in contention but did not start.

Real Sociedad XI

Remiro — Aramburu, Barrenetxea, Oskarsson, Herrera, Kubo, Gomez, Soler, Sucic, Martin, Beitia

Mikel Oyarzabal returned from an extended post-World Cup break but was not in the starting lineup. Sociedad had beaten Southampton and drawn with Middlesbrough during their English pre-season tour.

Alonso’s first Stamford Bridge night

The fixture carried extra narrative weight. Alonso managed Real Sociedad from 2021 to 2024, winning the Copa del Rey in 2020 and leading the club to Champions League qualification. His first home game in charge of Chelsea came against the side he left to join the Blues in the summer.

Chelsea’s pre-season took them through Australia and Asia under Alonso, with mixed results across five friendlies before this final tune-up. Saturday’s win offered a cleaner snapshot of the squad Alonso will take into competitive football — one week before the Premier League opener.

What’s next

Club	Next fixture	Date
Chelsea	Premier League at Fulham	Saturday, August 24, 2026 (20:00 BST)
Real Sociedad	La Liga at Real Betis	Friday, August 21, 2026

For Chelsea, the Fulham trip marks Alonso’s first league match in charge. Real Sociedad finished 10th in La Liga last season but lifted the Copa del Rey, and open their domestic campaign at Betis three days earlier.

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Discussion

A friendly scoreline is never definitive — but debuts, boos, and a striker running hot made this more than a routine August afternoon.

1. Joao Pedro scored eight pre-season goals and looks locked in as Chelsea’s No. 9. With Jackson, Delap, and Guiu all left out and potentially leaving, does Alonso need a proven backup or can Welbeck and youth cover the gap?

Pedro’s brace against La Liga opposition suggested Chelsea’s attack may revolve around him — but a 38-game league season is a different test.

2. Morgan Rogers scored within 11 minutes of his Stamford Bridge debut after a record £117m fee. Does one friendly goal justify the price tag, or does he need to prove it when the Premier League starts at Fulham?

Rogers was bright and direct; the real examination begins on August 24.

Share your take on Chelsea’s pre-season and whether Alonso’s side look ready for the new campaign.