Xabi Alonso is settling into life as Chelsea manager, bringing the same calm authority that defined his playing career to the club's Australian pre-season tour, as he attempts to instill senior leadership and a winning culture at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old World Cup winner has been closely involved in training sessions at Sydney FC's Sky Park, impressing his squad with his technical ability. Centre-back Levi Colwill admitted he felt "jealous" watching Alonso's passing range during drills.
Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Alonso reflected on his footballing upbringing, crediting his father Periko Alonso, a former Spain international who played for Real Sociedad and Barcelona, for shaping his coaching path. "The road was not unknown for me. I had seen that at home," Alonso 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 patient approach eventually delivered remarkable success. At Bayer Leverkusen, a club long known as "Neverkusen" for repeatedly falling short of major honours, Alonso guided the team to an historic Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2024 — the club's first league title and first cup win since 1993. He described the achievement as "unexpectedly fantastic."
His subsequent move to Real Madrid last year, however, ended prematurely amid reports of internal disagreements, including with forward Vinicius Jr. Alonso left by mutual consent. Reflecting on that experience, he said: "Luckily, there are not too many scars in my career. 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."
After a four-month break following his Madrid departure, which he used to "reset energy," Alonso agreed to take charge of Chelsea. He explained that the timing, rather than any preference over former club Liverpool, shaped his decision, as no offer had come from Anfield. "I had a view of Chelsea from the outside," he said. "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."
Alonso's early influence at Chelsea extends into the transfer market. The club has signed forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m, beating competition from Arsenal, and added full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, a player who could suit the system Alonso used at Leverkusen. Discussions continue over a possible deal for Rayo Vallecano's Pep Chavarria.
Experienced additions Danny Welbeck, 35, and Jordan Henderson, 36, are also set to bolster the squad, following an unsuccessful pursuit of Granit Xhaka from Sunderland. Alonso hopes their experience will help address a perceived lack of leadership and discipline within a squad that is currently the youngest in the Premier League.
"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, emphasizing the importance of squad balance and culture. He has encouraged team bonding activities during the Australian tour, including cinema trips and a visit to North Sydney Olympic Pool, and has personally taken part in staff five-a-side games.
Despite Chelsea finishing 10th last season without a trophy, Alonso remains optimistic about the club's potential. "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."
One month into the job, Alonso believes his vision for Chelsea is beginning to take shape, even as he adjusts to life as a head coach rather than a player. "It has to come from the gut," he said. "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."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.