Alonso Presents Himself as Renewed for His Stage at Chelsea After His Traumatic Time in Madrid

After a traumatic stint in Madrid, the Basque coach arrives at Chelsea with the conviction that the scars are now behind him.

The wound of Madrid

Xabi Alonso begins his stint at Chelsea with a clear message, the pain of his departure from Real Madrid is now in the past. "I had a scar, now it's healed, and I am determined to enjoy this new step," declared the coach, convinced that Stamford Bridge is the ideal setting to rebuild his career.

The recent history of the former midfielder was marked by contrasts. In June 2025, he arrived at the Madrid bench with great expectations, after having led Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten double in Germany. However, just seven months later, he was dismissed: 34 matches, 24 victories, 4 draws, and 6 defeats. The team was four points behind Barcelona in LaLiga and had just fallen to their classic rival in the Supercopa.

A Chelsea in crisis

The outcome for Alonso's former club was even harsher under Álvaro Arbeloa's leadership; the Merengues finished eight points behind Barça, who were crowned champions with a 2-0 victory in the May Clásico. Alonso, however, assures that he has learned from that blow. "I have been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better. You learn from disappointment," he reflected.

Now, 17 years after his departure as a Liverpool player, he returns to England to take the reins of a Chelsea team that has just come off a complicated season with a tenth place in the Premier League and two coaches being fired. The Blues haven't lifted the title since 2017, and in three of the last four campaigns, they finished outside the top four.

Support and ambition

The outlook, however, seems encouraging. The owner group BlueCo has already backed him with nine signings, including the record purchase of Morgan Rogers for 117 million pounds. "The situation wasn't as bad as it seemed. There is great potential for improvement," assured Alonso, who emphasizes the importance of balancing personalities and ages within the team.

With closed scars and managerial backing, Alonso presents himself as new in London, determined to turn frustration into momentum and to return Chelsea to the place he feels it deserves.