Chelsea vs Real Sociedad LIVE: Pre-season friendly match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Setting the scene: Chelsea take on Real Sociedad in their final summer friendly this afternoonGettyChelsea are back home as pre-season preparations conclude with a friendly against Real Sociedad which kicks off at 2pm BST. The Blues have spent the summer on tour in Australia and Asia, playing a total of five games as new manager Xabi Alonso oversaw a mixed bag of results and performances. Facing his former club this afternoon, the Spaniard has been handed a boost ahead of his Stamford Bridge bow with Chelsea's remaining World Cup stars now available for selection.This means summer signings Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Maxence Lacroix, Valentin Barco and Pep Chavarria are in contention to make their Blues debuts, while wantaway midfielder Enzo Fernandez could also feature. It will be interesting to hear what kind of reception he gets after missing out on a £120million switch to Manchester City, not to mention his antics following Argentina's World Cup semi-final win over England.La Real, meanwhile, have fared well against English opposition so far in pre-season and their hand has been strengthened with Mikel Oyarzabal returning after an extended holiday. Follow Chelsea vs Real Sociedad LIVE below with Standard Sport's dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Matt Verri at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea vs Real Sociedad latest newsWeather forecast It is expected to be 26° at kick-off at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.A lot cooler in London than it has been over the past two days, but still very warm.Dastan Satpayev departsChelsea have confirmed the loan departure of Dastan Satpayev, who moves to Burnley on a season-long deal.The Kazakh striker, who joined the Blues from Kairat this summer, will spend the campaign playing in the Championship after the Clarets’ relegation from the top flight last term.Satpayev, 18, joined up with his new Chelsea team-mates on the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, where he featured and scored in the 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers.PAXabi Alonso and Real Sociedad: The storyXabi Alonso came through the ranks at the Basque club as a player before taking his first steps into management by coaching their B team in 2019.PAPredicted Chelsea XIChelsea’s squad is in desperate need of trimming down before the close of the transfer window, so Alonso will have plenty of options to pick from against Sociedad.Among those whose futures remain in doubt but who could still feature this weekend are Liam Delap, who is valued at £50m by Chelsea, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu.All three strikers could still leave the club this summer, with Alonso yet to decide who will provide back up to first-choice forward Joao Pedro, alongside Danny Welbeck.Predicted Chelsea XI: Penders; Palestra, Lacroix, Colwill, Hato; Henderson, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Rogers; Joao PedroGettyFernandez set for Chelsea stayChelsea look set to keep Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge after the transfer deadline they set for a potential exit expired.Standard Sport reported previously that the Blues had put a strict deadline of 5pm BST on Friday, August 14 for any bids to be submitted for the Argentine midfielder.Manchester City and Real Madrid both held interest in the 25-year-old, but neither lodged an offer to Xabi Alonso’s side before the 5pm cut-off point.As such, it looks as though Fernandez, who Chelsea signed for £106.8m from Benfica back in 2023, will remain in west London and be a part of Alonso’s squad for the upcoming campaign.PAToday's settingsChelsea are back at Stamford Bridge for the first time since beating Tottenham in their final home game of the 2025-26 Premier League season on May 19.The Blues, overall, struggled here last season and that will be something Xabi Alonso has to fix.GettyChelsea vs Real Sociedad latest match oddsReal Sociedad to win: 15/4Odds via betting sites (subject to change).Head to head (h2h) history and resultsRemarkably, this will be just second-ever meeting between Chelsea and Real Sociedad at any level.GettyScore predictionReal Sociedad should provide a good test for Chelsea. Their form in pre-season against English opposition - beating Wolves and Aston Villa - suggests they will pose questions for the Blues defensively.For Xabi Alonso's side, it’s all about getting players up to match sharpness. Though, it's also an opportunity to lay down a marker and provide a glimpse of what's to come.Real Sociedad team newsThe Real Sociedad squad features World Cup winner Mikel Oyarzabal.Sergio Gomez and Carlos Soler, formerly of Manchester City and West Ham respectively, are in the squad too.