Chelsea U21 were narrowly defeated 3-2 by Real Sociedad B in an entertaining Premier League International Cup clash on January 22, 2026. Despite a late fightback, the young Blues fell just short at their Cobham training ground. Real Sociedad's B team, featuring several promising talents, started brightly and built a commanding two-goal lead in the first half. Chelsea U21 responded after the break, pulling a goal back to ignite hopes of a comeback, but Sociedad quickly restored their two-goal cushion. Chelsea scored a second late on to set up a frantic finale, but the Spanish side held on to claim a valuable away win. The match was a classic encounter in the tournament, highlighting the technical prowess of both academies. The defeat was a setback for Chelsea's qualification hopes, while Real Sociedad B took a major step toward the knockout phase.