Fernandez Booed by Chelsea Fans as Alonso Reveals Possible Season Blueprint
Enzo Fernandez was booed by sections of the Chelsea crowd during their 3-1 pre-season victory over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge, as Morgan Rogers scored on his debut and Joao Pedro continued his impressive form.
The reaction to Fernandez overshadowed much of the match. The midfielder came on in the 62nd minute, less than a day after Chelsea’s self-imposed deadline for a potential transfer had passed.
Fernandez had wanted to join Real Madrid earlier this summer, but the Spanish club eventually ended their interest. His representatives also held talks with Manchester City, although City did not meet Chelsea’s £120 million valuation before Friday’s 17:00 BST deadline.
Some Chelsea fans booed Fernandez when his name was announced before kick-off, while others responded by chanting his name when he came on. His every touch was met with a mixture of cheers and boos.
Chelsea captain Reece James also appeared to show his support for Fernandez, handing him the captain’s armband when he left the pitch.
The reaction reflects the division among Chelsea supporters. Some want to move on from the transfer saga, while others remain unhappy with Fernandez’s public desire to leave for Madrid and comments from his representatives about his wages.
Rogers Makes an Immediate Impact
Morgan Rogers needed just seven minutes to score his first Chelsea goal after reacting quickest to a save from Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.
The £117 million signing from Aston Villa looked sharp early on and linked well with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro. Chelsea supporters were already chanting his name within the opening 10 minutes.
Joao Pedro was again one of Chelsea’s standout players, scoring twice to take his pre-season tally to eight goals in seven matches.
After Sociedad equalised through Jon Mikel Aramburu shortly before half-time, Pedro restored Chelsea’s lead in the 47th minute before adding another goal 30 minutes later.
Alonso Tests a New System
The match also provided a glimpse of Xabi Alonso’s tactical plans for the new season.
Chelsea started with a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Robert Sanchez in goal and Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill forming the back three.
Pedro Neto played as a right wing-back, while Marco Palestra operated on the left. Reece James and Moises Caicedo formed the midfield partnership, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers supporting Pedro in attack.
Alonso has stressed that he is comfortable using either a back three or a back four, but the same three-at-the-back system was used in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over AC Milan a week earlier.
Chelsea Still Need to Reduce Their Squad
Chelsea continue to face a major challenge in reducing their squad, with around 40 senior players currently on the books.
Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Mykhailo Mudryk, Tosin Adarabioyo and Mamadou Sarr were left out despite featuring in earlier pre-season matches. Several of them are available for transfer or attracting loan interest.
Chelsea are reportedly looking to sell Jackson for around £65 million and Delap for £50 million, while Mudryk and Sarr could leave on loan. Tosin has also attracted interest from Benfica and Marseille.
New signings Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson were also absent, along with recalled loanee Aaron Anselmino.
With the transfer window closing on 1 September, Chelsea have only 17 days to significantly reduce their squad and reach the Premier League limit of 25 players.
For Fernandez, meanwhile, the immediate future appears to be at Chelsea. However, the mixed reaction from supporters suggests that the transfer saga may continue to influence his relationship with the club’s fans.
