Photo: Ank kumar / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea ended their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with new manager Xabi Alonso expressing satisfaction at the performance and the reception he received from supporters.
Morgan Rogers opened his Chelsea account early in the match, while Joao Pedro added two goals in the second half to seal the result against the San Sebastian club.
The friendly gave Alonso his first opportunity to field several players who had only recently returned from the FIFA World Cup, including Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and Reece James, all of whom featured for extended periods.
'It was a very good last preparation game,' Alonso said after the final whistle. '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.'
Alonso added that the occasion felt significant ahead of the competitive season. '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.'
The Spaniard was visibly moved when introduced to the Stamford Bridge crowd before kick-off, describing the supporters' reception as a key part of building the connection he wants with Chelsea fans this season.
'It was emotional to feel my first time in the new home,' Alonso said. '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.'
Chelsea face Fulham next in their Premier League opener, with Alonso now having a full week of preparation before competitive action begins.