Chelsea lose secret friendly against Championship side as Xabi Alonso red-faced
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11:39, Sun, Oct 4, 2026 Updated: 11:43, Sun, Oct 4, 2026 Xabi Alonso watched his Chelsea side lose to Portsmouth on Saturday (Image: (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images))Chelsea suffered defeat at the hands of Portsmouth in a behind-closed-doors friendly as their preparations intensify ahead of the Premier League resuming next weekend.Xabi Alonso's squad faced the Championship side on Saturday at Cobham, with the encounter primarily serving as a training exercise for the Blues, who slipped to a 2-0 loss.Several senior players are currently away on international duty, meaning the friendly focused mainly on rehabilitation work for injured squad members and tactical drills, according to football.london.The fixture also provided an opportunity for emerging talents to feature alongside first-team players, with player development being the key priority.Alonso has already demonstrated his willingness to utilise teenage players in matches when required. Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over.
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You can unsubscribe at any time. The other ones are Geo [Quenda] and Estevao."Yeah, because they have been trained well, they are part of the squad, so everyone that is part of the squad but before we were playing for 75 minutes with a squad with experience and that we have had good things but not for long enough time to compete for the better result."A further priority during the three-week break for Alonso would almost certainly have been addressing Chelsea's leaky defence, having shipped 12 goals, more than any other side in the Premier League this season.They have conceded at least two goals in every league fixture, and also let in three against Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.The absence of Moises Caicedo has done little to shore up Chelsea's defensive resilience, with the midfielder joined on the injury list by Cole Palmer, Reece James and Marco Palestra.However, it remains likely, if not entirely confirmed, that all four featured in some capacity over the weekend.Joao Pedro withdrew from the Brazil squad ahead of Chelsea's defeat to Brentford due to a knee complaint, with the forward understood to have been consulting a specialist throughout the extended international break.A number of Chelsea stars have been away on international duty over recent weeks, among them Jamie Gittens, who picked up a knock while representing England's under-21s, leaving the stadium on crutches as a result.It has been a mixed start for Alonso at Stamford Bridge, with victories over Fulham and Brighton followed by defeats to Arsenal and Brentford, with a draw at home to Hull City in between.A place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup has also been secured after wins over Luton Town and Leeds United, though the Blues must now contend with the formidable challenge of facing Liverpool at Anfield.Before then, Chelsea face Bournemouth, Everton and London rivals Tottenham in the Premier League, with Alonso's side currently sitting in 10th place after five matches.