Why did Enzo Fernandez & Reece James miss Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers pre-season friendly?

The Blues are back in action for the first time since May 2026.

Under their new manager, Xabi Alonso, Chelsea are on the field for the first time. They are locking horns with the A-League Men club, Western Sydney Wanderers. Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, is witnessing this club friendly clash ahead of the new season.

The Blues came up with underwhelming performances during their last campaign. Under Enzo Maresca, they were able to secure the FIFA Club World Cup title, but the rest of the season was trophyless for them. They finished 10th in the English Premier League and missed out on a spot to play European football during the 2026-27 season.

After appointing Xabi Alonso as the manager, the hopes are high for the English club. They must come up with consistent performances throughout the season and for that, they must try all of the top strategies during the pre-season games.

Chelsea faced Western Sydney Wanderers and a lot of young stars are representing the Premier League side. Big names are missing from the playing XI. Some were on the bench and the others didn’t travel with the squad.

Also Read: Explained: Why Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea are targeting Jordan Henderson & Danny Welbeck?

Why did Enzo Fernandez & Reece James miss out?

Enzo Fernandez and Reece James have not yet joined Chelsea back for their pre-season games in Australia. Fernandez reached the grand finale with Argentina and James finished third with England in the FIFA World Cup 2026. They are currently on a break, but might join the side soon.

Their absence will be quite notable from the squad. Xabi Alonso’s men held the A-League side to a 2-2 draw at the end of the first half.

Notable names that started for Chelsea are Josh Acheampong and Liam Delap. Stars like Cole Palmer, Estevao, Joao Pedro and others were on the bench.

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