Long before Xabi Alonso arrived at Stamford Bridge in May, Chelsea's pre-season schedule had already been mapped out as one of the most demanding in the Premier League. The Blues covered 24,561 miles and spent 56 hours in the air, travelling further than any other top-flight English club and nearly double the distance of last summer's US trip under Enzo Maresca. The itinerary took them to Sydney, Hong Kong, Jakarta and finally Iskandar Puteri in Malaysia.
Despite the exhausting travel, Alonso set an early tone by joining club staff for a run at a brisk 4:30-per-kilometre pace to shake off jet lag, and later took part in a staff match before departure, setting up several goals for his side. The message was clear: no excuses, regardless of fatigue.
Chelsea had already put in significant fitness work at Cobham before departing, including tough double training sessions. Once on tour, the focus shifted toward tactical development, even as travel and heat took their toll. The club chartered a private Airbus A340 and had players adjust to Sydney time immediately, encouraging sleep after meals during the long flight, which included a stopover in Sri Lanka.
In Sydney, training took place at Sky Park, home of Sydney FC, along with an open session at Allianz Stadium. Alonso was hands-on throughout, demonstrating his passing range and pushing players like Estevao Willian to use his weaker foot. He also unleashed a spectacular 25-yard half-volley during a session, a reminder of his pedigree as one of his generation's finest midfielders at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Defender Levi Colwill admitted he was "jealous" of Alonso's passing ability, while midfielder Romeo Lavia said, "The manager was a great player, one of the best of his generation. You see that when he steps into a training session. He starts pinging balls around in a way only those who have played at the top level can. It's a privilege to be working with him, especially as a midfielder."
Young talents such as Sydney-born Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli caught the eye with strong midfield displays, drawing local media attention despite his affiliation with England's youth setup. Off the pitch, players enjoyed team-bonding activities including boat trips, cinema outings and a visit to North Sydney Pool, while Chelsea posted a 6-4 win over Western Sydney Wanderers before losing 2-1 to Tottenham in front of 80,000 fans.
The tour then moved to Hong Kong, where fan enthusiasm reached fever pitch, prompting extra security measures. It was there that Mykhailo Mudryk rejoined the squad following a 20-month absence tied to a doping case, receiving an emotional welcome and later featuring as a substitute in a defeat to Juventus before assisting in a 3-3 draw with Johor Darul Ta'zim.
New set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, formerly of Aston Villa, also joined in Hong Kong and quickly became a visible presence in training. His influence showed in Chelsea's 3-0 win over AC Milan, which included two goals from corners, as well as the side's first use of a back three with wing-backs — the system Alonso used to win the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024. Joao Pedro was the standout performer of the tour, netting twice in that win to reach six goals in six matches.
A heavily rotated squad then drew 2-2 with Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia, with Liam Delap converting two penalties before an own goal in stoppage time denied Chelsea victory.
Reflecting on the trip, Alonso said, "We have learned a lot in these two weeks, not just on the football side but on the personal side in getting to know each other."
Chelsea now return to Cobham for two weeks of preparation before hosting Real Sociedad, Alonso's former club, on 15 August, ahead of their Premier League opener away to Fulham on 24 August.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.