Ligue 1
Real Madrid scar meets Chelsea ambition: Xabi Alonso's fresh drive
Xabi Alonso left Real Madrid with a metaphorical scar after being dismissed in January, yet he arrives at Chelsea brimming with determination, describing the wound as healing and vowing to embrace his new challenge with the same enthusiasm he once had in Madrid.
Alonso’s tenure ended in January when the Spanish giants replaced him with former defender Alvaro Arbeloa after a defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, the fifth loss of that season.
Reflecting on his spell in Spain, the 44‑year‑old admitted mistakes and said, "Alors, d'accord, j'ai une cicatrice, mais ça guérit. Maintenant, c'est fait, et je suis très motivé et déterminé à aborder cette nouvelle étape avec autant de plaisir qu'à mes débuts à Madrid." He added that his career has not been marked by overly great trials.
Now manager of Chelsea, Alonso gave an interview to The Athletic on Sunday evening, outlining his preparation for his first season with the Blues. He is the sixth permanent coach since BlueCo took over the club in May 2022.
He stressed that errors will make him a better manager, stating, "On apprend de la déception des choses qui n’ont pas abouti et on essaie de croire que les choses vont s’améliorer." The comment underscores his belief in learning from disappointment.
Alonso faces the task of healing the wounds of a season that left Chelsea without a European trophy in 2026‑2027. He acknowledges the heavy burden of restoring a failed campaign.
Speaking about squad composition, he said, "Il faut un bon équilibre de personnalités, de niveaux de maturité, des joueurs d'une vingtaine d'années, d'une trentaine d'années et entre les deux, des joueurs à différents stades de leur carrière. Il n'y a pas de formule magique, mais il y a une intuition." This highlights his focus on a mixed‑age roster.
His summer recruitment reflects that philosophy, adding English internationals Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix, veteran Danny Welbeck and Strasbourg prospect Valentin Barco to the squad.