Sports11 September, 20263 min read
Xabi Alonso Says Joao Pedro Is On Same Level As Erling Haaland And Karim Benzema
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Alonso says Joao Pedro is on par with Erling Haaland and resembles Karim Benzema. Pedro started the season with two goals and two assists in three games.
5 outlets told this the same way.
Alonso’s Benzema-Haaland claim
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso said Joao Pedro is on the same level as Erling Haaland and compared the forward to Karim Benzema ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Hull City at Stamford Bridge. Alonso made the comparison after Joao Pedro was named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for August, with the BBC saying the Brazil international scored twice and provided two assists in his first three games of the season. FotMob said Chelsea had taken six points from their first three Premier League games and that Joao Pedro has two Premier League goals in 2026-27, with only Haaland, Alexander Isak and Bruno Fernandes outscoring him.
Sky Sports reported Alonso’s praise included the line "In many things he reminds me of Benzema" and said Joao Pedro is "on the same level" as Haaland. The BBC added that Alonso said "I would say yes" when asked if Joao Pedro could be compared to Haaland, framing it as a ranking among the Premier League’s top strikers.
Numbers, roles, and praise
The BBC said Joao Pedro, 24, scored twice and provided two assists in his first three games and was named Player of the Month on Friday, finishing ahead of Cole Palmer. Sky Sports reported Joao Pedro scored 20 goals in 50 games for Chelsea last term and said Alonso described him as "on the same level" as Haaland in a press conference. FotMob said Joao Pedro’s figure of 1.87 non-penalty expected goals (xG) is the highest of any Blues player and the fifth-best in the division overall, and that he has the best conversion rate of any player with 1.5 xG or greater.
In the same coverage, FotMob said Joao Pedro has been compared to Haaland and Benzema and that Alonso was asked whether he would rank Joao alongside Haaland among the best strikers in England. The BBC also said Alonso pointed to style similarities, quoting him: "he is good in the box, he is good out of the box" and adding that Joao Pedro is "very complete and he is intelligent."
Hull visit and Brazil recall
Ahead of the Stamford Bridge clash, Alonso told Sky Sports that Chelsea would face Hull City with the same respect as last week’s game against Arsenal, and he said Hull have seven points and "no goals conceded." FotMob said Alonso was asked about ranking Joao Pedro alongside Haaland and that he replied "I would say yes," adding that Joao has been top "not just football-wise, personality-wise" and with maturity and desire. The BBC said Joao Pedro signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge last month to stay until 2034 and was handed Chelsea’s number nine shirt at the start of the season.
BBC coverage also tied the season’s momentum to international selection, saying Joao Pedro was a surprise omission from Brazil’s World Cup squad this summer but has since been recalled for September’s international fixtures against New Zealand and India. In the same BBC report, Alonso addressed motivation after the omission, saying "He had enough motivation" and that he was focused on what Joao Pedro "is doing well and what he can do better."