Xabi Alonso says he has learned from his brief and difficult spell at Real Madrid as he begins reshaping Chelsea, bringing renewed energy, strong leadership and a clear team culture to a young squad.
The 44-year-old Spain World Cup winner has been heavily involved in training during Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Australia. At Sky Park, the home of Sydney FC, Alonso has joined in passing drills, playing precise short balls before demonstrating the cross-field passes that were a trademark of his playing career at Liverpool and Real Madrid.
His work on the training pitch has impressed his players. Outstanding ball-playing centre-back Levi Colwill said he felt “jealous” watching Alonso deliver the passes himself.
Alonso spoke in a Sydney hotel about the path that led him into management. His father, Periko Alonso, was also a Spain international and played for Real Sociedad and Barcelona. As a child, Xabi would stand beside him in the kitchen while Periko prepared training sessions for the following day.
“The road was not unknown for me. I had seen that at home,” he said.
“I’m not saying it was meant to be, but I had to try it. I wanted to try it, but not straight to the top level. I started in the under-14s and that was the way I wanted. It felt natural, not to rush.”
That measured approach reflects the style Alonso displayed as a midfielder, when he was known for controlling the rhythm of matches and slowing the game down.
Learning from disappointment
Alonso took his time developing as a youth coach, but success quickly followed. After taking charge of Bayer Leverkusen, a club once nicknamed ‘Neverkusen’ because its strongest teams had repeatedly finished second, he guided them to an unprecedented domestic double in 2024.
It was Bayer Leverkusen’s first Bundesliga title and their first DFB-Pokal triumph since 1993.
Alonso described the achievement as “unexpectedly fantastic”. But his next job, at Real Madrid, ended after he joined the club in May last year. He departed by mutual consent amid reports in Spain of disagreements with senior players including Vinicius Jr.
“Luckily, there are not too many scars in my career,” he said. “I got a scar, now it is healed and I am determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid.
“For the things that didn’t work, I have been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better. You learn from the disappointment of things.”
Alonso spent the four months between leaving Real Madrid and joining Chelsea trying to “reset energy”. That energy has been evident in Australia.
During his final session in Sydney, he oversaw a full tactical run-through with his squad before their game against Tottenham Hotspur. He then worked individually with Nicolas Jackson and Moises Caicedo, backing into them during drills and attempting to knock them off the ball.
Chelsea have also placed emphasis on team-building. Players have been given time to explore, visit the cinema and take part in tourist activities, while the entire squad visited the refurbished North Sydney Olympic Pool for an Australian winter swim.
A carefully considered move
Alonso held discreet meetings in London and his home city of San Sebastian over three weeks in early May before deciding Chelsea was the right club for him.
Although there was speculation that he might return to former club Liverpool, no offer was made by them. Alonso said last month that “timing” was the reason he chose Chelsea rather than a move to Anfield.
“I had a view of Chelsea from the outside,” he explained.
He said he had assessed both the club’s strengths and his concerns before discussing his ideas with the sporting directors.
“I could see the positives and my concerns, so I addressed them. We had the same ideas, the same analysis, to start building momentum together. That is why we are taking these steps together and making decisions to build a good team.”
That plan has included the £117m signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. Rogers was Chelsea’s first-choice attacking target and joined despite interest from Premier League champions Arsenal.
Alonso has also brought in full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, who could be important in adapting the system Alonso used at Bayer Leverkusen. Chelsea remain in talks over Pep Chavarria of Rayo Vallecano, a possible option on the left.
“We have taken a few steps but I feel that we can still take a few more,” Alonso said when asked about the backing he had received.
Although he has avoided overstating his authority in public, Alonso appears closely involved in the club’s direction. His description as the first manager, rather than head coach, under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital may have been exaggerated, with Chelsea’s five sporting directors still responsible for much of the club’s operation. They remain in constant dialogue with Alonso and his staff.
Chelsea are also continuing to strengthen their squad’s experience. There is excitement about the arrival of 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck, who will join the group for pre-season. He is set to provide experienced cover for Joao Pedro and offer a positive influence away from the pitch.
Midfielder Jordan Henderson, 36, is also expected to arrive after Chelsea were unable to sign Alonso’s former Bayer Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka from Sunderland.
Henderson is expected to help raise standards as a vocal dressing-room leader, having performed a similar role under England manager Thomas Tuchel at this summer’s World Cup. It would mirror the influence Alonso had under Pep Guardiola towards the end of his career at Bayern Munich.
Creating a new culture
The changes represent a senior revolution at the Premier League’s youngest team. Chelsea have previously been criticised for indiscipline, perceived weakness when defending set-pieces and, most significantly, a lack of leadership and dressing-room culture.
“You need the right balance of personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early 20s, early 30s and everything in between,” Alonso said.
He also believes the club must develop a stronger collective identity.
“In the Basque Country, we have a strong sense of collective purpose and culture,” he said.
Alonso wants that approach to reach beyond the first-team squad. Before Chelsea’s overseas trip, he provided the assists for the winning side in a staff game.
The appointment has also come at an appealing moment for Alonso’s family. His children are aged 18, 16 and 12, and there is excitement about the move to London.
Chelsea finished 10th last season without a trophy, but Alonso believes the club’s position was more promising than the final outcome suggested.
“The situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season,” he said.
“There is big potential to improve and let’s see how long it takes.”
A month into the job, Alonso is encouraged that many of the changes he wanted are already beginning to take shape. His first match at Stamford Bridge will be against his boyhood club Real Sociedad on 15 August.
Yet the challenge of establishing himself at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs remains unknown. This time, Alonso is attempting to leave his mark as a manager rather than as a player.
“For sure, it had to come a lot from here,” he said, pointing first to his heart and then to his head.
“And also from here,” he added, pointing to his stomach.
“It has to come from the gut. I felt it was good timing for the club and good timing for myself. It was a good opportunity and I felt I had the chance to enjoy being a manager.”
