Chelsea are set to play two behind-closed-door friendlies in the next couple of weeks as new manager Xabi Alonso gets to grips with the squad he has inherited
14:11, 15 Jul 2026Updated 14:17, 15 Jul 2026
Xabi Alonso
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Xabi Alonso during a Chelsea training session(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
Chelsea will play back-to-back pre-season friendlies behind closed doors against lower-league opposition in Crawley Town and Bromley over the next 11 days.
The Blues will take on Crawley on Saturday before facing Bromley the following Thursday as new manager Xabi Alonso looks to gain more knowledge regarding his players. Alonso has put his squad through their paces over the last week since starting work at the club's Cobham-based training centre.
Chelsea fly out to Australia for the first leg of their pre-season tour next week and Alonso wants his players to get some extra preparation in before the long-haul flight to the other side of the world.
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New signings Emmanuel Emegha, Geovany Quenda, Dastan Satpayev and Marco Palestra have all been working on the grass in sunny Surrey over the last week ahead of their debut season at Stamford Bridge.
Marco Palestra
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Marco Palestra involved in Chelsea training(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
A selection of first-team stars that were not picked for the ongoing World Cup, or whose countries didn't qualify, have also been working under Alonso. Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap and Josh Acheampong have all been pictured training in recent days.
Aaron Anselmino is expected to be loaned elsewhere again for the upcoming season but has been working with his Chelsea colleagues at Cobham. Elsewhere, academy talents Reggie Watson, Tayo Subuloye, Landon Emenalo, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Reggie Walsh and Calvin Diakite have also been given the opportunity to impress the new manager.
They will be hoping to be involved against Crawley and Bromley to show Alonso their talents in a competitive environment, albeit only a friendly.
Estevao Willian and Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso
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Estevao Willian chats with Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
Below is the full list of Chelsea players spotted in training pictures since the start of pre-season last week:
Emmanuel Emegha
Estevao Willian
Geovany Quenda
Dario Essugo
Tosin Adarabioyo
Jamie Gittens
Romeo Lavia
Levi Colwill
Wesley Fofana
Joao Pedro
Cole Palmer
Liam Delap
Josh Acheampong
Dastan Satpayev
Aaron Anselmino
Marco Palestra
Reggie Watson
Tayo Subuloye
Landon Emenalo
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen
Reggie Walsh
Calvin Diakite
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