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Joao Pedro also continued his fine pre-season form with a double as manager Xabi Alonso offered a glimpse of what could be his blueprint for the season.But the action was overshadowed by the reaction to Fernandez's second-half appearance, less than 24 hours after Chelsea's self-imposed transfer deadline had passed.Fernandez had been keen to join Real Madrid earlier this summer before the Spanish club ended their interest.His representatives later held talks with Manchester City, but no offer was made to meet Chelsea's £120m valuation before Friday's 17:00 BST deadline.Fernandez was booed by some early arrivals at Stamford Bridge when his name was read out 45 minutes before kick-off.Chelsea's stadium announcer then opted against reading out the names of the substitutes shortly before the match, but there were audible boos when Fernandez came on in the 62nd minute.Chelsea supporters appeared divided, with others responding by chanting his name.Yet, it was a signal of Alonso and Chelsea's backing when Reece James left the field he passed his long-time vice-captain the armband as usual.Each touch of the ball was greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers, while some fans also celebrated when Fernandez was fouled.It followed attempts by some supporters to move on from a saga that appears to have ended with Chelsea now expecting to keep one of their best players.Others, however, remain unhappy with his perceived disloyalty, having come out publicly about his desire to move to Madrid, with his agent Javier Pastore also claiming he is underpaid.It will be interesting to see how supporters of the Premier League's other 19 clubs react to Fernandez, given his celebrations and social media jibes after Argentina beat England in a World Cup semi-final in July.That will remain an issue whether he remains at Chelsea or Manchester City elect to revive their interest and attempt to reunite him with his former manager Enzo Maresca before deadline day on 1 September.Chelsea say no Fernandez move as deadline passes - but is it really over?Rogers and Chelsea's blueprintIt took Rogers only seven minutes to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt 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.Within 10 minutes of his debut supporters were already chanting his name.However, it was understandable that he faded as the match wore on, given he had trained for less than a week since returning from holiday before his 62-minute outing.Beyond Rogers, Pedro has been the star of Chelsea's pre-season.He scored twice, heading Chelsea back in front in the 47th minute before adding a side-footed finish 30 minutes later to seal victory after Sociedad had equalised just before half-time through Jon Mikel Aramburu's volley.Chelsea lost control towards the end of the first half and looked vulnerable, but they were much improved after the break.Pedro has scored eight goals in seven pre-season matches and led the line with Rogers and Palmer operating behind him.Alonso offered a glimpse of the 3-4-2-1 formation he could use at Fulham in nine days as he took charge of a match at Stamford Bridge for the first time.It featured Robert Sanchez as the first-choice goalkeeper, with Wesley Fofana, new signing Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill forming a back three (from right to left).Pedro Neto operated at right wing-back and Marco Palestra on the left, while captain Reece James and Moises Caicedo lined up in midfield behind the front three.There was also a debut from substitute wing-back Pep Chavarria, although a number of notable players were absent.Of course, Alonso insists he won't be wedded to either of a back three or four but it was this system used as Chelsea beat AC Milan 3-0 a week ago.Chelsea still have 40 senior professionals on their books, so Alonso was forced to leave out a host of players.Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Mykhailo Mudryk, Tosin Adarabioyo and Mamadou Sarr were all omitted despite featuring in previous pre-season matches.All are either available for transfer or attracting loan or permanent interest. Mudryk and Sarr are targeting Premier League loan moves, Jackson is available for £65m, Delap for £50m, while Tosin has interest from Benfica and Marseille.Alonso did not hold a media conference to explain his team selection, but multiple sources said it was his decision to leave them out.New signings Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, along with recalled loanee Aaron Anselmino, were also absent, seemingly through injury.Unlike the likes of Delap and Mudryk, these four were sat near the squad just behind the bench alongside third-choice goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe.There was further intrigue as Fernandez played, while new midfield signing Valentin Barco, who joined from Strasbourg, did not get on the pitch for his first appearance.It remains a significant challenge for Chelsea to trim their squad, with the club still needing to offload at least 15 players and only 17 days remaining in the transfer window to get down to 25 players.Latest Chelsea news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Chelsea - what do you want to know?

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Newcastle United changed shirts in the first half of their pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen.The hosts walked out in their black and white home kit, which has a blue trim, but decided to ditch it during the first hydration break at St James' Park on Saturday.There was an apparent colour clash with Bayer Leverkusen's away kit, which is mint with a blue pattern, so Newcastle players put on their lilac third strip instead.Newcastle progressing with move for Benfica defender DedicJaissle 'bit scared' how refs will take 'emotional' touchline style

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Chelsea ended pre-season with a mixed 3-1 victory over Real Sociedad as manager Xabi Alonso offered more clues about the formation his side could play ahead of their Premier League opener against Fulham.For a third straight match, Chelsea started with a back three, replicating Alonso's successful 3-4-3 system from his time at Bayer Leverkusen when they won the Bundesliga in 2024, as British-record signing Morgan Rogers and defender Maxence Lacroix both made their debuts.However, despite Rogers netting a tap-in within just 10 minutes, Chelsea laboured in the first-half, sitting too deep and unable to press their LaLiga opponents, who deservedly equalised before half-time through Jon Mikel Aramburu's brilliant volley after forcing goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into several saves.But Alonso sent his side out unchanged after the break and they were much improved, Joao Pedro heading in from Reece James' cross just two minutes into the half before the striker netted his seventh of pre-season late on with a tidy finish.Enzo Fernandez, though, added to Chelsea's mixed afternoon when his introduction as a 62nd-minute substitute was met by boos from some supporters following his transfer links with Manchester City, but also cheers from others who sang his name.Alonso fielded a 4-2-3-1 in Chelsea's first three pre-season games but after switching to 3-4-3 against AC Milan - their best performance of the summer in a 3-0 win - it appears he could stick with it heading into their opening match.His 3-4-3 formation is so fluid that at times against Real Sociedad it looked like Chelsea were playing with a four-man defence, with Moises Caicedo dropping into the back line to collect the ball and Wesley Fofana pushed wide on the right.Got Sky? Watch PL games on the Sky Sports appNot got Sky? Get instant access with no contractBut the clue was in Chelsea's defending: wing-backs Pedro Neto and Marco Palaestra were penned into a back five, while Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer operated as inside forwards. Three at the back also suits Maxence Lacroix, who mastered the middle centre-back position at Crystal Palace.Alonso's system did have clear issues in the first half. Chelsea sat too deep, unable to get out of their half while struggling to press Sociedad. When they tried to, the distances to their opponents were too great to cover. The difference after the break was how high Chelsea played, making their press easier and putting pressure on Sociedad. The back three dominated the ball on the halfway line and Palestra and Neto forced the wingers back.The formation remains a work in progress for now and Alonso has the flexibility within his squad to change to a four-man defence should he want to, but even when he made a flurry of substitutions in the second half, the back three remained.Enzo Fernandez received a mixed reception in his appearance in pre-season less than 24 hours after Manchester City missed Chelsea's self-imposed 5pm deadline to bid for the midfielder.It is now expected Fernandez will stay at Chelsea for the 2026/27 season with Real Madrid having also been linked after the midfielder's own admission in April that he would like to move to Madrid one day - comments that saw him dropped from the first team for two games.Then, there were Argentina's antics at the World Cup, in which Fernandez was involved, especially against England and Spain - the home countries of the two teams playing on Saturday.That said, it's hard to tell exactly who was booing and why. Was it the international connection? Or were some Chelsea fans disgruntled that he has been linked with direct rivals?There were cheers for him as well and the booing decreased as the game went on. By the end, fans were chanting 'Oh Enzo Fernandez' more than anything.What is true, though, is Fernandez remains key for Chelsea and is likely central to Alonso's thinking. The best way he can truly get the Blues back onside is by performing on the pitch.Chelsea's Premier League campaign begins at Fulham in the first Monday Night Football of the season at 8pm on August 24, live on Sky Sports.July 28: Chelsea 6-4 Western Sydney Wanderers - SydneyAugust 1: Chelsea 1-2 Tottenham - SydneyAugust 5: Chelsea 0-1 Juventus - Hong KongAugust 8: Chelsea 3-0 AC Milan - JakartaAugust 9: Johor Darul Ta'zim 3-3 Chelsea - JohorAugust 15: Chelsea vs Real Sociedad - Stamford Bridge

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Dalby and Gale fire promoted Bolton to 2-1 winKodua pounces at death as Luton beat Reading 4-3Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale scored first-half goals as Bolton beat Preston 2-1 to record their first Championship win since March 2019.Last season’s League One playoff final winners have been predicted to struggle on their return to the second tier after seven years away. But in front of a sellout 26,262 crowd at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Steven Schumacher’s side dominated the longstanding members of this division.The only nerves came four minutes from time when Jusef Erabi headed in fellow substitute Andrija Vukcevic’s cross to halve the deficit. Liam Lindsay should have headed a last-gasp equaliser for Preston but missed from close range.That would have been harsh on Bolton. Dalby scored 14 times last season in all competitions and was soon off the mark as Wanderers started brightly. John McAtee did not have the best of times in League One last season but he quickly embraced this step up in class.Daniel Iversen should have dealt better with McAtee’s left-footed shot and the goalkeeper’s weak save only pushed the ball to Dalby, who side-footed home from 18 yards.Eleven minutes later, Wanderers deservedly doubled their advantage. McAtee’s latest pass picked out Gale who cut in from the left before unleashing a curling right-footed shot beyond Iversen’s despairing dive.North End looked to have gone three behind as Dalby headed in after 37 minutes. Instead, McAtee was adjudged to have fouled as he challenged for another assist.Bolton were dominating opponents playing in the Championship for a 12th successive season but just after the hour, Preston’s 4,400 fans were in unison as manager Paul Heckingbottom introduced his most recent signings Léo Leroy, Odel Offiah and Erabi for Pol Valentín, Jordan Thompson and Callum Lang.Still, Dalby should have settled the contest after 73 minutes with only Iversen to beat. Instead, his left-footed effort was soft and the keeper saved.Erabi made him regret that miss with his strike but Lindsay’s miss ensured Wanderers started life in the Championship with a win.There are six 3pm BST kick-offs, including Lincoln’s return to the second tier after 65 years away, with their first game a trip to Middlesbrough, the losing playoff finalists. At 5.30pm, Sheffield United host Birmingham.In League One substitute Gideon Kodua scrambled home a stoppage-time winner for Luton as they came from behind to snatch a 4-3 victory at Reading.Jack Marriott scored a superb first-half hat-trick for the Royals but it was not enough as they let slip a two-goal lead.The Hatters had taken an early lead through Jake Richards but Marriott pounced in the eighth, 31st and 38th minutes to complete his treble.Luton quickly made it 3-3 after the interval with Kasey Palmer scoring twice, and grabbed a dramatic winner in the sixth minute of time added on through Kodua.Conor Grant’s late strike salvaged a deserved point for Notts County as they held former Premier League champions Leicester 1-1 at Meadow Lane.Jayden Joseph fired Russell Martin’s men in front just past the hour, with a rare flash of inspiration from the visitors. However, Grant slid home from close range to restore parity after fellow substitute Emile Acquah’s header had rebounded off a post.In League Two there was no fairytale back in the Football League for Rochdale as they were beaten 3-0 at Newport County. Calum Kavanagh’s double gave Oldham a 2-0 win over Port Vale.

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25 CommentsBournemouth have vowed to "do better" after changes to matchday staffing were handled in a manner which "did not reflect the standards" the club expects.Concerns were raised over the way the Premier League club told some long-serving members of their matchday team that their services would no longer be required for the 2026-27 season.An email was sent from "the safety team" two weeks before the start of the season.In a statement,, external the club acknowledged those concerns and said: "We have reviewed the way these changes were communicated and recognise that it did not reflect the standards we expect of ourselves as a club."People who have given many years of service to AFC Bournemouth deserve to be treated with appreciation and respect."We are contacting those affected directly to listen to their concerns and review their individual circumstances."The Cherries made a rapid rise from League Two to the Premier League, taking just five years to reach England's top flight when they were promoted in 2015.Despite being relegated in 2020, they returned to the Premier League two years later and this season will be playing in Europe for the first time.The club reviewed its matchday staffing arrangements for 2026-27 and have made changes to a number of roles and working requirements "as we continue to strengthen the safety and security of the stadium, its perimeter and surrounding areas".Their club statement added: "These changes are important, but so too is the way we communicate with and treat the people who have served our club. We should have handled this better, and we will do better."We are grateful to everyone who has contributed to AFC Bournemouth over the years, and particularly those who have served the club for decades."One post on X, external said that a man who has been a member of Bournemouth's matchday staff for nearly 60 years received an email that was four paragraphs long, adding that it was a "disgusting approach".After saying their contracts would not be renewed, the email ended with: "We appreciate this will be disappointing news. On behalf of everyone at AFC Bournemouth, I would like to thank you for your commitment, professionalism and contribution to the club during your time with us."We are grateful for the support you have provided over the years and wish you every success for the future."BBC Sport has been told that the club reached out to the individual involved before the statement was released.He had been working in the car park but has now been offered employment for next season in a different area.Pre-match, post-match and topical Cherries contentSubscribe and listen for everything you love about the CherriesLatest Bournemouth news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Bournemouth - what do you want to know?

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Sam Dalby and Thierry Gale scored first-half goals as Bolton beat Preston 2-1 to record their first Sky Bet Championship win since March 2019.Last season's League One play-off final winners have been predicted to struggle on their return to the second tier after seven years away.But in front of a sellout 26,262 crowd at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, Steven Schumacher's side dominated the long-standing members of this division.The only nerves came four minutes from time when Jusef Erabi headed in fellow substitute Andrija Vukcevic's cross. Liam Lindsey should have headed a last-gasp equaliser but missed from close range.That would have been harsh on Bolton. Dalby scored 14 times last season in all competition and he was soon off the mark as Wanderers set a hot pace.John McAtee did not have the best of times in League One last season but he quickly embraced this step up in class.However, Daniel Iversen should have dealt better with McAtee's left-footed shot. The goalkeeper's weak save only pushed the ball to Dalby, who side-footed home from 18 yards.Eleven minutes later, Wanderers deservedly doubled their advantage.McAtee's latest pass picked out Gale who cut in from the left before unleashing a curling right-footed shot beyond Iversen's despairing dive.North End had won each of their last three away league games against Bolton but a fourth on the bounce never looked likely.They looked to have gone three behind as Dalby headed in after 37 minutes. Instead, McAtee was adjudged to have fouled as he challenged for another assist.A minute later, North End threatened to reduce their arrears as new boy Delano Burgzorg burst into the area. Chris Forino triumphantly celebrated the subsequent block.Bolton though were dominating opponents playing in the Championship for a 12th successive season.Just after the hour mark, Preston's 4,400 fans were in unison as manager Paul Heckingbottom introduced his most recent signings Leo Leroy, Odel Offiah and Erabi for Pol Valentin, Jordan Thompson and Callum Lang.Leroy was immediately fouled by Josh Sheehan, previously cautioned for a cynical challenge on Alfie Devine, who received a final warning from referee Adam Herczeg.Devine's pass then presented Milutin Osmajic with a shooting opportunity but Jack Bonham was equal to the Montenegrin's tame effort.Dalby should have settled the contest after 73 minutes with only Iversen to beat. Instead, his left-footed effort was equally soft and the keeper saved.Preston then wasted a fantastic chance to get back into the game four minutes later. Osmajic beat the offside trap but with only Bonham to beat squared the ball to Erabi who was quickly crowded out.Erabi made amends but Lindsay's miss ensured Wanderers topped the fledgling Championship table.

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BBC Scotland's chief sports writerPublished1 hour agoFormer Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has been identified by the Scottish FA as their prime candidate to replace Steve Clarke.The 39-year-old Belgian, who left Monaco at the end of last season, previously led Union Saint-Gilloise to a first league title in 90 years in 2024-25.Pocognoli is one of several candidates to have been spoken to by Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell and Craig Mulholland, who was appointed as the association's chief football officer in May.And it is thought an appointment could be imminent, with Scotland returning to action in the Nations League with a four-game block of fixtures, starting in Slovenia on 26 September.Pocognoli spent time in England during his playing career, turning out for West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion, and earned 13 caps for Belgium.He would become just the second foreign boss of the Scotland men's team, after German Berti Vogts.Clarke - who had signed a new four-year deal in May - resigned following the group-stage exit at the World Cup, ending his seven-year tenure.Steven Naismith, who served as one of his assistant, said last month he expects to continue in the national team set-up under a new boss.Send your views on the Scotland football team

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Newcastle United reporterPublished5 minutes agoCommentsNewcastle United are in advanced talks with Benfica to sign defender Amar Dedic.The club have been in the market for a new right-back following the departure of veteran Kieran Trippier, who joined Wolves on a free transfer after his contract expired earlier this summer.Dedic, 23, previously worked with Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle at RB Salzburg and was a regular in the side that retained the Austrian Bundesliga title in 2023.Newcastle are understood to be progressing in discussions with Benfica for the Bosnia and Herzegovina international, who is valued at around £30m.If a deal is completed, Dedic could quickly be called upon to feature in Newcastle's season opener against Liverpool on 23 August as Tino Livramento is still recovering from a calf injury he sustained on international duty with England in June.Dedic has been capped 31 times and started three of Bosnia and Herzegovina's four matches at the World Cup.He ranked second for full-backs in Portugal's Primeira Liga last season for carries into the attacking third (49) and third for progressive carries (202) and total carries (325) last season.Jaissle 'aware' of Newcastle needs after Everton friendly lossInside Newcastle 2.0 - how the project is changing

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Belgian would be first non-Scot in role since Berti VogtsScotland face Slovenia on 26 September in Nations LeagueThe Scottish Football Association hopes to name the Belgian Sébastien Pocognoli as the successor to Steve Clarke as manager early next week. The 39-year-old, who was sacked by Monaco in June, will become the country’s first non-Scottish manager since Berti Vogts, who was in charge from 2002-04.Clarke’s abrupt departure came as Scotland exited the World Cup at the group stage. He had signed a four-year contract extension immediately before the tournament. It quickly became clear the SFA would turn towards a foreign manager; Jon Dahl Tomasson and Kasper Hjulmand were linked with the position.Pocognoli will probably be welcomed by Scotland fans in respect of a fresh approach. Clarke was in position for a generally successful seven years, but was often criticised for a pragmatic style.After a period in youth coaching, Pocognoli enjoyed a successful time in charge of Union Saint-Gilloise in his homeland. Under Pocognoli, Union won their first title in 90 years in 2025. A move to Monaco followed, but Pocognoli lasted eight months and 38 games in France.Scotland begin their Nations League campaign with the visit to Slovenia on 26 September. Pocognoli’s first home game in charge will be Switzerland’s visit to Glasgow three days later.

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Former Monaco head coach Sebastien Pocognoli is the frontrunner for the Scotland men's national team job.It is understood the 39-year-old, who guided Union Saint-Gilloise to the Belgian league title last year, is the SFA's leading candidate to replace Steve Clarke.Pocognoli is currently a free agent after leaving Monaco in June. During his playing career, he represented West Brom and spent a season on loan at Brighton 10 years ago.

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⚽ EFL updates on the first weekend of the season ⚽ Live scores | Wolves 2-2 Blackburn | Email ScottDuring that aforementioned – well, alluded-to – first season of the Football League, Preston had the measure of their county rivals Bolton. They won 3-1 at home, and 5-2 away. But it’s not going so well for them today. First-half goals from Sam Dalby (14) and Thierry Gale (25) have seen the Trotters bolt out of the gate, and as it stands, Steven Schumacher’s newly-promoted side are top of the Championship. Too early to go with the table? Ah, let’s start as we mean to go on.The 2026-27 Championship race started dramatically last night … Continue reading...

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Hull City have signed English forward Joe Gelhardt from Leeds and French midfielder Lucas Gourna-Douath from Red Bull Salzburg for undisclosed fees.Gelhardt has signed a four-year deal with an option of a further 12 months, with Gourna-Douath joining the Tigers on a five-year contract.The pair become Hull's 10th and 11th signings since securing promotion back to the Premier League last season.Gelhardt, 24, returns to the club after two successful loan spells over 18 months which saw him score 14 goals in the Championship last season and the tie-clinching second goal in the play-off second leg against Millwall.He started his career at Wigan, before joining Leeds where he scored three goals in 57 appearances around loan spells at Sunderland and Hull."I'm over the moon. It's been a great 18 months playing here - I've loved every minute of it. Since the season ended, I knew exactly where I wanted to be. Thankfully, it's happened," said Gelhardt."As soon as I joined the club, I connected with the fans, the staff, all the players. I'm happy to be here on a permanent now, rather than a loan."Gourna-Douath started his career at Saint-Etienne, where he made 65 appearances for the French side before joining Salzburg in 2022.He made 95 appearances for Salzburg over four seasons and spent the second half of the last campaign on loan at Le Havre, where he played 15 games in Ligue 1."I'm really happy because it was such a long journey from the first phone call until I signed. I'm so excited to get started," said Gourna-Douath."I know Hull City is a big family club. Playing in front of our fans will be fun. It will be amazing for me."Pre-match, post-match and topical Tigers contentListen on SoundsSubscribe and listen for everything you love about HullLatest Hull City news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Hull City - what do you want to know?