Match story
- Real Sociedad fired more attempts (16 vs 11 shots).
- Real Sociedad was more accurate in front of goal (38% on target vs 27%).
- Real Sociedad held more of the ball (54% possession).
Real Sociedad and Real Betis drew 2-2 in Copa del Rey. The fixture is part of the 8th Finals stage in the 2018 season. Eduardo Prieto Iglesias, Spain officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Real Sociedad vs Real Betis meeting in Copa del Rey with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Real Sociedad and Real Betis. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Copa del ReyRecorded meetings: 9 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Real Sociedad and Real Betis drew 2-2 in Copa del Rey. The fixture is part of the 8th Finals stage in the 2018 season. Eduardo Prieto Iglesias, Spain officiated the match. The full-time result capped a Real Sociedad vs Real Betis meeting in Copa del Rey with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Real Sociedad and Real Betis. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Copa del ReyRecorded meetings: 9 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
West Ham United appear to have received a major boost in their efforts to sign Troy Parrott. The London club is reportedly still in a strong position despite recent speculation linking the striker with Real Betis. The Republic of Ireland international has emerged as one of the Hammers’ leading attacking targets as manager Nuno Espirito […] The post West Ham handed major boost as £25m striker target becomes increasingly attainable appeared first on CaughtOffside.
It took Morgan Rogers only seven minutes to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt in Saturday's 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad as he reacted quickest after Alex Remiro saved Joao Pedro's initial header. The £117m club record signing from Aston Villa initially looked sharp and linked well with Cole Palmer and Pedro in Chelsea's front three. Beyond Rogers, Joao Pedro has been the star of Chelsea's pre-season.
Joaquin Seys is valued at £30m by Club Brugge (Photo: Getty) Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko admits he is ‘proud’ to see Joaquin Seys linked with a big money transfer to Manchester United and Arsenal. And Leko has conceded that it would be ‘hard to say no’ to selling his star defender this summer, if the right offer was made. Seys has been tipped to move to the Premier League following an excellent 2025/26 season, in which he won the Belgium Pro League and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Porto and Benfica have also been linked with the highly-rated 21-year-old who is valued at £30million by Brugge. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Signing a new left-back is now Man Utd’s top priority until the end of the transfer window, though Flemish outlet Het Nieuwsblad claim that they are yet to make a formal approach for the player. With Patrick Dorgu now viewed as a winger by Michael Carrick, Luke Shaw is the only natural left-back in the squad and surely cannot be relied upon for a full season with Champions League football given his injury history. After selling Christos Tzolis to Arsenal for £34m earlier this summer, do not want to lose anymore of their prized assets including Seys and Barcelona target Nicolò Tresoldi. Seys impressed at th World Cup for Belgium (Photo: Getty) Nevertheless, Leko is happy to see his players linked with Europe’s top club, admitting as much in an interview ahead of Brugge’s 3-0 win over Oud-Heverlee Leuven on Saturday. ‘In fact, I’m proud that my guys are being linked to those clubs,’ he said. ‘We chat about it every now and then. How much of those rumours is true? I don’t know. But we all have eyes in our heads: their potential is incredible. Seys was in action for Club Brugge over the weekend (Photo: Getty) ‘On the other hand, they remain consummate professionals and are happy here. The focus is entirely on OHL.’ Leko previously claimed Seys was destined to play at the top of the Premier League and believes there is a chance he will move on before deadline day. ‘If there’s a lot of money on the table, it’s obviously not easy to say no,’ He added. ‘The board’s aim is still to build a team that’s even better than last season. ‘The right time to leave will come. Tzolis has proved that. Let’s hope they’re all still here in September.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester City take on Arsenal in a blockbuster match for the 2026 FA Community Shield final. Manchester City and Arsenal meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff for the 2026 FA Community Shield final, with kickoff set for 10:00 a.m ET. The match doubles as a milestone occasion for City, marking Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge of the club since replacing Pep Guardiola in the dugout. Arsenal qualified as reigning Premier League champions after their title-winning campaign last season, while City earned their place by winning the FA Cup in May, beating Chelsea at Wembley for their eighth FA Cup title in club history. Recent history slightly favors City in this particular fixture, with two wins in the last five head-to-head meetings between the sides. Arsenal, however, hold the more recent edge in the Community Shield specifically, having won the last time these two clubs met in this exact competition back in 2023, on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Both sides arrive with contrasting preseason form. Arsenal posted a mixed 2-2-1 record in their warm-up matches, including defeats to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, though they did beat Girona 4-1. City, meanwhile, looked sharper in their own preparation, beating Atlético Madrid 3-1 in their final tune-up, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice in that win. Just one week to go until the FA #CommunityShield 🤩Who will start their season on a high, @Arsenal or @ManCity? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/T8NcfFyx6Q— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) August 9, 2026 What happens if Manchester City beat Arsenal A win would hand Maresca a trophy in his very first match at the helm, giving City an ideal start to the new era and a psychological edge heading into the Premier League season opener. It would also snap Arsenal’s recent run of success in this exact fixture, avenging their 2023 Community Shield defeat to the Gunners. What happens if Manchester City and Arsenal draw The Community Shield doesn’t allow for extra time. Any match still level after 90 minutes goes straight to a penalty shootout to determine the winner, with both teams still credited with a draw on the official record despite one side lifting the trophy. What happens if Manchester City lose to Arsenal A loss would see Arsenal successfully defend the Community Shield and continue their recent dominance over City in this fixture, while also handing Maresca a defeat in his first game in charge — an inauspicious start to his tenure, even if the Community Shield itself carries more symbolic weight than competitive significance heading into the new season.
Coventry manager and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard (Picture: Getty) Frank Lampard has expressed interest in signing a second Chelsea star for Coventry City after making an approach for Mykhailo Mudryk. Lampard is keen to bolster his Coventry squad further as he prepares for their return to the Premier League. Coventry face Premier League champions Arsenal in their opening fixture of the new season after storming to the Championship title last term. The Sky Blues have signed Caleb Yirenkyi, Carl Rushworth, Lous Tchauouna, Aurele Amenda, Gustavo Hamer, Frank Onyenka and Normal Bassette so far this summer. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. But Lampard wants to welcome a few more signings to the Midlands club before the end of the summer transfer window and has informed Chelsea of his interest in Mudryk. Mudryk joined the latter stages of Chelsea’s pre-season tour after resolving his doping case with the Football Association. The Ukraine international has not been allowed to play since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended for returning an ‘adverse finding’ for the banned substance meldonium. Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk (Picture: Reuters) The FA ended its anti-doping proceedings after Mudryk accepted breaching anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the one year and eight months already served. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said he was ‘very happy’ to welcome Mudryk back into his squad but that it was ‘too early’ to determine his performance levels. A loan move seems likely to give Mudryk the chance to get regular minutes and get back to the form that earned him a £62m move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea academy graduate Josh Acheampong (Picture: Getty) Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg are interested in striking a deal but Fabrizio Romano has reported that Mudryk would prefer to remain in the Premier League next season if a loan becomes inevitable. Mudryk is not the only Chelsea player attracting interest from Coventry, with Lampard also keen to discuss a possible deal for Josh Acheampong, according to talkSPORT. Stamford Bridge academy graduate Acheampong has made 44 appearances for Chelsea since making his first-team debut in 2024, including 30 last season. New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty) The 20-year-old is viewed as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe and as a result is deemed ‘untouchable’ by Chelsea bosses. Chelsea have already rejected several approaches for Acheampong but may see the benefit of the youngster spending a season under club legend Lampard. ‘Keep an eye on Josh Acheampong,’ talkSPORT’s Alex Crook said. ‘He’s a player that Frank Lampard would like to take to Coventry. ‘And as we get towards the end of this window, there is a possibility that Chelsea might be willing to do that deal as well.’ Alonso suggested Chelsea would offload multiple centre-backs after signing Maxence Lacroix in a £52m deal from Crystal Palace. England’s Trevor Chalobah has also departed the west London giants, joining ex-Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas at Italian side Como. Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly and kick-start the 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Fulham. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
John Stones marked his Inter debut in style, scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory over Real Betis in a pre-season friendly. The post Stones ‘very excited for what’s to come’ after scoring on Inter debut appeared first on SoccerNews.
BOBBY MANZI AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: There were perhaps expected boos when his name was read out before kick-off, with the World Cup runner-up starting on the bench.
Chelsea ended their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad, though there were jeers when Enzo Fernandez came on. The post Alonso keen to build Chelsea connection but Fernandez booed in friendly win appeared first on SoccerNews.
Enzo Fernandez received a less then friendly reception upon his return to Chelsea (Photo: Getty) Enzo Fernandez was booed by a section of Stamford Bridge supporters during Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad on Saturday. Xabi Alonso’s side finished pre-season with a 3-1 win over the Spanish side as £117million signing Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before Joao Pedro bagged a brace in the second-half. It was the first opportunity for Alonso to test out Rogers and other players making a late return from the World Cup including captain Reece James, new signing Maxence Lacroix and Fernandez. And the midfielder received a less than welcoming return to west London, with a vocal portion of fans booing him as his name was read out on the tannoy before kick-off. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Upon being subbed on in the second-half and donning the captain’s armband, the jeers returned and continued every time the 25-year-old touched the ball. Not all supporters felt the same way however, as other fans looked to drown out the boos by chanting Fernandez’s name. The divisive reaction has been sparked in part by Fernandez’s behaviour during the World Cup, especially when he taunted England fans during and after Argentina’s semi-final win over the Three Lions. Fernandez booed by large sections of the fans at Stamford Bridge but others chanting his name. A polarising figure. He takes the armband from Reece James. pic.twitter.com/6T9D2bc4V7— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) August 15, 2026 But the Blues vice-captain has also been strongly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge for some time, previously engulfing the wrath of the club and fans when he publicly flirted with Real Madrid last season. While a transfer to Spain is off the table, Manchester City are very interested in reuniting Fernandez with Enzo Maresca. Chelsea have made it clear that they will only accept an offer of £120m and had told City that they if no bid was submitted before last Friday evening, he would not be sold. Team Enzo where I was sitting trying to drown out those boos! pic.twitter.com/29ODxuc4pB— Chelseachewyouout (@Chelseachewsit) August 15, 2026 That deadline has come and gone, and while the Blues expect Fernandez to stay for the 2026/27 season, City’s interest has not gone away It is believed Fernandez himself is keen on moving to the Etihad but in any case, it seems the player has some work to do to repair his relationship with the Chelsea faithful. Alonso did not hold a press conference after the Sociedad win but said he was ‘delighted’ with the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and thanked fans for the ‘great reception’. Xabi Alonso was experiencing the Stamford Bridge atmosphere for the first time as Chelsea manager (Photo: Getty) ‘It was emotional to feel my first time in the new home,’ Alonso, who was appointed manager over the summer, told Chelsea’s official website. ‘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.’ As for the match itself, the Liverpool legend added: ‘It was a very good last preparation game.’ ‘For some players it was the first one and the last one. For us, there were some good things, some things we can improve. It’s normal at this moment for some players. ‘It was great to have all the team together. Some of them after three days could play for 60 minutes. It was the last test. Now we have a whole week to prepare for Fulham, but it was a good feeling in the stadium.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
West Ham United appear to have received a major boost in their efforts to sign Troy Parrott. The London club is reportedly still in a strong position despite recent speculation linking the striker with Real Betis. The Republic of Ireland international has emerged as one of the Hammers’ leading attacking targets as manager Nuno Espirito […] The post West Ham handed major boost as £25m striker target becomes increasingly attainable appeared first on CaughtOffside.
It took Morgan Rogers only seven minutes to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt in Saturday's 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad as he reacted quickest after Alex Remiro saved Joao Pedro's initial header. The £117m club record signing from Aston Villa initially looked sharp and linked well with Cole Palmer and Pedro in Chelsea's front three. Beyond Rogers, Joao Pedro has been the star of Chelsea's pre-season.
Joaquin Seys is valued at £30m by Club Brugge (Photo: Getty) Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko admits he is ‘proud’ to see Joaquin Seys linked with a big money transfer to Manchester United and Arsenal. And Leko has conceded that it would be ‘hard to say no’ to selling his star defender this summer, if the right offer was made. Seys has been tipped to move to the Premier League following an excellent 2025/26 season, in which he won the Belgium Pro League and reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup. Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Porto and Benfica have also been linked with the highly-rated 21-year-old who is valued at £30million by Brugge. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Signing a new left-back is now Man Utd’s top priority until the end of the transfer window, though Flemish outlet Het Nieuwsblad claim that they are yet to make a formal approach for the player. With Patrick Dorgu now viewed as a winger by Michael Carrick, Luke Shaw is the only natural left-back in the squad and surely cannot be relied upon for a full season with Champions League football given his injury history. After selling Christos Tzolis to Arsenal for £34m earlier this summer, do not want to lose anymore of their prized assets including Seys and Barcelona target Nicolò Tresoldi. Seys impressed at th World Cup for Belgium (Photo: Getty) Nevertheless, Leko is happy to see his players linked with Europe’s top club, admitting as much in an interview ahead of Brugge’s 3-0 win over Oud-Heverlee Leuven on Saturday. ‘In fact, I’m proud that my guys are being linked to those clubs,’ he said. ‘We chat about it every now and then. How much of those rumours is true? I don’t know. But we all have eyes in our heads: their potential is incredible. Seys was in action for Club Brugge over the weekend (Photo: Getty) ‘On the other hand, they remain consummate professionals and are happy here. The focus is entirely on OHL.’ Leko previously claimed Seys was destined to play at the top of the Premier League and believes there is a chance he will move on before deadline day. ‘If there’s a lot of money on the table, it’s obviously not easy to say no,’ He added. ‘The board’s aim is still to build a team that’s even better than last season. ‘The right time to leave will come. Tzolis has proved that. Let’s hope they’re all still here in September.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester City take on Arsenal in a blockbuster match for the 2026 FA Community Shield final. Manchester City and Arsenal meet at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff for the 2026 FA Community Shield final, with kickoff set for 10:00 a.m ET. The match doubles as a milestone occasion for City, marking Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge of the club since replacing Pep Guardiola in the dugout. Arsenal qualified as reigning Premier League champions after their title-winning campaign last season, while City earned their place by winning the FA Cup in May, beating Chelsea at Wembley for their eighth FA Cup title in club history. Recent history slightly favors City in this particular fixture, with two wins in the last five head-to-head meetings between the sides. Arsenal, however, hold the more recent edge in the Community Shield specifically, having won the last time these two clubs met in this exact competition back in 2023, on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Both sides arrive with contrasting preseason form. Arsenal posted a mixed 2-2-1 record in their warm-up matches, including defeats to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, though they did beat Girona 4-1. City, meanwhile, looked sharper in their own preparation, beating Atlético Madrid 3-1 in their final tune-up, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice in that win. Just one week to go until the FA #CommunityShield 🤩Who will start their season on a high, @Arsenal or @ManCity? 🏆 pic.twitter.com/T8NcfFyx6Q— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) August 9, 2026 What happens if Manchester City beat Arsenal A win would hand Maresca a trophy in his very first match at the helm, giving City an ideal start to the new era and a psychological edge heading into the Premier League season opener. It would also snap Arsenal’s recent run of success in this exact fixture, avenging their 2023 Community Shield defeat to the Gunners. What happens if Manchester City and Arsenal draw The Community Shield doesn’t allow for extra time. Any match still level after 90 minutes goes straight to a penalty shootout to determine the winner, with both teams still credited with a draw on the official record despite one side lifting the trophy. What happens if Manchester City lose to Arsenal A loss would see Arsenal successfully defend the Community Shield and continue their recent dominance over City in this fixture, while also handing Maresca a defeat in his first game in charge — an inauspicious start to his tenure, even if the Community Shield itself carries more symbolic weight than competitive significance heading into the new season.
Coventry manager and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard (Picture: Getty) Frank Lampard has expressed interest in signing a second Chelsea star for Coventry City after making an approach for Mykhailo Mudryk. Lampard is keen to bolster his Coventry squad further as he prepares for their return to the Premier League. Coventry face Premier League champions Arsenal in their opening fixture of the new season after storming to the Championship title last term. The Sky Blues have signed Caleb Yirenkyi, Carl Rushworth, Lous Tchauouna, Aurele Amenda, Gustavo Hamer, Frank Onyenka and Normal Bassette so far this summer. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. But Lampard wants to welcome a few more signings to the Midlands club before the end of the summer transfer window and has informed Chelsea of his interest in Mudryk. Mudryk joined the latter stages of Chelsea’s pre-season tour after resolving his doping case with the Football Association. The Ukraine international has not been allowed to play since November 2024 after being provisionally suspended for returning an ‘adverse finding’ for the banned substance meldonium. Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk (Picture: Reuters) The FA ended its anti-doping proceedings after Mudryk accepted breaching anti-doping rules and agreed to a suspension equal to the one year and eight months already served. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said he was ‘very happy’ to welcome Mudryk back into his squad but that it was ‘too early’ to determine his performance levels. A loan move seems likely to give Mudryk the chance to get regular minutes and get back to the form that earned him a £62m move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea academy graduate Josh Acheampong (Picture: Getty) Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg are interested in striking a deal but Fabrizio Romano has reported that Mudryk would prefer to remain in the Premier League next season if a loan becomes inevitable. Mudryk is not the only Chelsea player attracting interest from Coventry, with Lampard also keen to discuss a possible deal for Josh Acheampong, according to talkSPORT. Stamford Bridge academy graduate Acheampong has made 44 appearances for Chelsea since making his first-team debut in 2024, including 30 last season. New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty) The 20-year-old is viewed as one of the most highly-rated young defenders in Europe and as a result is deemed ‘untouchable’ by Chelsea bosses. Chelsea have already rejected several approaches for Acheampong but may see the benefit of the youngster spending a season under club legend Lampard. ‘Keep an eye on Josh Acheampong,’ talkSPORT’s Alex Crook said. ‘He’s a player that Frank Lampard would like to take to Coventry. ‘And as we get towards the end of this window, there is a possibility that Chelsea might be willing to do that deal as well.’ Alonso suggested Chelsea would offload multiple centre-backs after signing Maxence Lacroix in a £52m deal from Crystal Palace. England’s Trevor Chalobah has also departed the west London giants, joining ex-Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas at Italian side Como. Chelsea beat Real Sociedad 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly and kick-start the 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Fulham. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
John Stones marked his Inter debut in style, scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory over Real Betis in a pre-season friendly. The post Stones ‘very excited for what’s to come’ after scoring on Inter debut appeared first on SoccerNews.
BOBBY MANZI AT STAMFORD BRIDGE: There were perhaps expected boos when his name was read out before kick-off, with the World Cup runner-up starting on the bench.
Chelsea ended their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad, though there were jeers when Enzo Fernandez came on. The post Alonso keen to build Chelsea connection but Fernandez booed in friendly win appeared first on SoccerNews.
Enzo Fernandez received a less then friendly reception upon his return to Chelsea (Photo: Getty) Enzo Fernandez was booed by a section of Stamford Bridge supporters during Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad on Saturday. Xabi Alonso’s side finished pre-season with a 3-1 win over the Spanish side as £117million signing Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before Joao Pedro bagged a brace in the second-half. It was the first opportunity for Alonso to test out Rogers and other players making a late return from the World Cup including captain Reece James, new signing Maxence Lacroix and Fernandez. And the midfielder received a less than welcoming return to west London, with a vocal portion of fans booing him as his name was read out on the tannoy before kick-off. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Upon being subbed on in the second-half and donning the captain’s armband, the jeers returned and continued every time the 25-year-old touched the ball. Not all supporters felt the same way however, as other fans looked to drown out the boos by chanting Fernandez’s name. The divisive reaction has been sparked in part by Fernandez’s behaviour during the World Cup, especially when he taunted England fans during and after Argentina’s semi-final win over the Three Lions. Fernandez booed by large sections of the fans at Stamford Bridge but others chanting his name. A polarising figure. He takes the armband from Reece James. pic.twitter.com/6T9D2bc4V7— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) August 15, 2026 But the Blues vice-captain has also been strongly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge for some time, previously engulfing the wrath of the club and fans when he publicly flirted with Real Madrid last season. While a transfer to Spain is off the table, Manchester City are very interested in reuniting Fernandez with Enzo Maresca. Chelsea have made it clear that they will only accept an offer of £120m and had told City that they if no bid was submitted before last Friday evening, he would not be sold. Team Enzo where I was sitting trying to drown out those boos! pic.twitter.com/29ODxuc4pB— Chelseachewyouout (@Chelseachewsit) August 15, 2026 That deadline has come and gone, and while the Blues expect Fernandez to stay for the 2026/27 season, City’s interest has not gone away It is believed Fernandez himself is keen on moving to the Etihad but in any case, it seems the player has some work to do to repair his relationship with the Chelsea faithful. Alonso did not hold a press conference after the Sociedad win but said he was ‘delighted’ with the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and thanked fans for the ‘great reception’. Xabi Alonso was experiencing the Stamford Bridge atmosphere for the first time as Chelsea manager (Photo: Getty) ‘It was emotional to feel my first time in the new home,’ Alonso, who was appointed manager over the summer, told Chelsea’s official website. ‘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.’ As for the match itself, the Liverpool legend added: ‘It was a very good last preparation game.’ ‘For some players it was the first one and the last one. For us, there were some good things, some things we can improve. It’s normal at this moment for some players. ‘It was great to have all the team together. Some of them after three days could play for 60 minutes. It was the last test. Now we have a whole week to prepare for Fulham, but it was a good feeling in the stadium.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
