Xabi Alonso Set To Lead Chelsea After Real Madrid Disappoint

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says he has put the disappointment of his short spell at Real Madrid behind him and is fully focused on building a successful new era at Stamford Bridge.

Key Highlights:

• Xabi Alonso says he has moved on from his disappointing spell at Real Madrid and is focused on rebuilding Chelsea.
• He said the setback made him a better coach after spending four months away from football.
• Alonso revealed he accepted the Chelsea job after aligning on a long-term vision with the club’s owners.
• He wants to build a team based on leadership, discipline and strong dressing-room culture.
• Alonso believes Chelsea have the potential to return to the Premier League’s top level.

Speaking during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Australia, the former Spain international reflected on his coaching journey, his difficult exit from Real Madrid and his ambitions for the Premier League club, insisting the timing was right to embrace a fresh challenge.

Alonso, who took charge of Chelsea after leaving Real Madrid less than eight months into a three-year contract, admitted his departure from the Spanish giants left a scar but said the experience has made him a better coach.

“Luckily, there are not too many scars in my career. I got a scar, now it is healed,” Alonso said. “I have been very critical of myself over the things that didn’t work because you learn from disappointment.”

The 44-year-old enjoyed remarkable success before joining Real Madrid, leading Bayer Leverkusen to a historic domestic double in 2024 by winning their first-ever Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal.

Following his exit from Madrid, Alonso revealed he spent four months recharging before accepting Chelsea’s offer, using the period to reset mentally and prepare for the next stage of his managerial career.

The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder has already made a strong impression on Chelsea’s players during the club’s pre-season camp in Sydney, where he has been actively involved in training sessions and tactical drills.

Defender Levi Colwill admitted he was “jealous” of Alonso’s technical quality after watching the former midfield maestro effortlessly demonstrate his trademark passing range during training.

Alonso explained that his passion for coaching was inspired by his father, Periko Alonso, a former Spanish international, whom he watched prepare training sessions during his childhood.

Rather than immediately pursuing a top managerial role after retirement, Alonso began coaching youth teams, saying he wanted to develop naturally instead of rushing into elite football.

The Chelsea boss also disclosed that he held several meetings with the club’s hierarchy before accepting the job to ensure both parties shared the same long-term vision.

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“I could see the positives and my concerns, so we addressed them. We had the same ideas and the same analysis, which convinced me we could build something together,” he said.

Chelsea have backed Alonso in the transfer market with the signing of forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa and full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, while experienced players Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson are also expected to add leadership to one of the Premier League’s youngest squads.

According to Alonso, restoring leadership, discipline and a strong dressing-room culture will be just as important as tactical improvements.

“You need the right balance of personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early 20s, early 30s and everything in between,” he said.

The Spaniard also emphasised the importance of building a collective culture throughout the club, drawing inspiration from the strong team values he experienced growing up in Spain’s Basque region.

Despite Chelsea’s disappointing 10th-place finish and trophyless campaign last season, Alonso believes the club possesses enormous potential.

“The situation was not as bad as it looked. There is huge potential to improve, and we’ll see how long it takes,” he said.

Chelsea will begin the Alonso era at Stamford Bridge with a pre-season fixture against his boyhood club, Real Sociedad, as the former World Cup winner looks to guide the Blues back into contention among England’s elite.