Enzo Fernandez was booed by a section of Stamford Bridge supporters during Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad on Saturday, a match that ended in a 3-1 win for the Blues. The £117million signing Morgan Rogers opened the scoring before Joao Pedro bagged a brace in the second half. It was the first opportunity for new manager Xabi Alonso to test Rogers and other players making a late return from the World Cup, including captain Reece James, new signing Maxence Lacroix, and Fernandez.
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. 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.
Divisive Reaction and Transfer Speculation
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. 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 if no bid was submitted before last Friday evening, he would not be sold. 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.
Alonso’s Response and Match Thoughts
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’.
‘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.’
Pre-Season Conclusion and Fulham Preparations
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.’
