Alonso heals Real Madrid scars to lead Chelsea's senior revolution
Xabi Alonso on healing from his Real Madrid exit, his gut feeling to join Chelsea and why he sees his new club as an exciting opportunity.
Xabi Alonso, 44, brings his successful coaching experience from Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea. The former Spain international won a World Cup with Spain in 2010 and led Bayer Leverkusen to a domestic double in 2024. After his brief but amicable departure from Real Madrid, Alonso spent time resetting his energy before joining Chelsea on a pre-season tour in Sydney.
There, he demonstrated his leadership by conducting full team runs and engaging with players in various activities. Alonso emphasized the importance of team-building and creating a strong culture, drawing from his own experiences and the collective purpose he witnessed in the Basque Country. He has also strengthened the squad by signing forward Morgan Rogers, full-back Marco Palestra and is in talks for left-sided Pep Chavarria.
Chelsea's new signings aim to address issues such as indiscipline, defensive struggles and the lack of leadership, with influential players like Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson set to join the squad for pre-season.
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