Just like this year, the fixture brought an end to our pre-season schedule in the summer following a FIFA World Cup. And just like this year, Stamford Bridge was the venue for the game – on that occasion, the first time we had hosted a home friendly in SW6 since 2006.

Jose Mourinho’s Blues were fresh off a game in Hungary, where we had opened the Ferencvaros Stadion in the south-east of Budapest. Ramires and new boy Cesc Fabregas got the goals in a come-from-behind 2-1 win there.

Just 48 hours later, we returned to home comforts, albeit on a very wet summer’s day in the capital. Jose Mourinho asked the sold-out Stamford Bridge crowd to get into their seats early to applaud the players onto the pitch as they were introduced one-by-one. Extra cheers were reserved for recent World Cup winner Andre Schurrle and our new signings – among them the returning Didier Drogba. He was not to fit to feature, alas.

That evening was the first sighting in Blue of three players who would prove integral to our Premier League title triumph that season, and indeed the next in 2016/17: Thibaut Courtois, Fabregas and Diego Costa. All three were named in Mourinho’s starting XI against Real Sociedad.

There was also the chance to look look at the new LED floodlights and fresh playing surface - completely dug up for the first time in 11 years - that had been installed over the summer. Approximately 5,000 tonnes were removed, equating to 300 lorry loads’ worth of material.

Real Sociedad, led by manager Jagoba Arrasate, arrived in London having finished seventh in La Liga the season before. They were without Antoine Griezmann – just sold to Champions League runners-up Atletico Madrid as a replacement for the outgoing Diego Costa – and fellow forward Carlos Vela, who was injured. Sociedad had just beaten Aberdeen 3-2 at Pittodrie in a UEFA Europa League third qualifying round fixture, prevailing 5-2 on aggregate despite a brief scare.

The Basque side found themselves behind at the Bridge inside 58 seconds. A clever flicked pass from Ramires freed Diego Costa, who finished neatly across the keeper to announce his arrival in SW6 in style.

Ramires missed a golden chance to immediately double our lead after a penetrating run from Branislav Ivanovic pierced the visitors’ defence open, but it was 2-0 before long. Just six minutes had been played when Schurrle whipped a bending strike against the inside of the post from 20 yards out, with the rebound falling perfectly for Diego Costa to double his and our tally.

That would prove the end of the scoring, although Chelsea continued to dominate and create chances. Diego Costa nearly turned in an Eden Hazard cut-back for his treble, Oscar forced a fine save from visiting keeper Enaut Zubikarai and Fernando Torres – on what would prove his final outing at the Bridge before joining AC Milan – missed a good opportunity.

Courtois was relatively untroubled between the posts, making it a thoroughly satisfactory evening all round. Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli was among those in the stands who must have been impressed. This is how Chelsea lined up, with Mourinho deploying the 4-2-3-1 formation that would serve us so well in the months ahead:

Courtois; Ivanovic (Zouma 80), Cahill (Azpilicueta h-t), Terry (c) (Christensen 87), Ake (Filipe Luis h-t); Matic (Van Ginkel 80), Fabregas (Mikel 71); Ramires (Oscar h-t), Hazard (Salah 80), Schurrle (Willian h-t); Diego Costa (Torres 60).

‘The squad has improved for sure,’ Mourinho observed after the game, when asked about the impact of the new arrivals.

‘This is the Premier League, every team tries to be better. Are we ready for that? Yes, but this is England. In some countries only two teams can win the league, sometimes only one, but here it’s five or six.

‘The only thing I can say is that I very much like the squad. The club were fantastic because they gave me the three targets I asked for. We have the squad we want to have, it’s a squad for tomorrow, for next season, and also with big possibilities for the next few years.’

So it proved. Just like this season, our league campaign started with an away fixture on a Monday night. Diego Costa was among the goals and Fabregas provided an iconic assist as Mourinho’s men ran out 3-1 winners at Burnley, with the bulk of the squad going on to help us triumph in two of the next three Premier League campaigns.

Tickets for Saturday's friendly against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge are now on general sale!