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Scar healed, new job
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said the “scar” from his Real Madrid exit has now “healed,” insisting he is “determined to enjoy this next step” as he rebuilds his career at Stamford Bridge.
“Xabi Alonso insists the "scar" left by his Real Madrid exit has now "healed"”
Alonso’s Real Madrid spell ended after he was sacked in mid-January following just 34 matches at the helm, winning 24 of those (D4 L6), after Madrid were four points adrift of Barcelona at the top of LaLiga and had lost to their arch-rivals in the Supercopa de Espana.
FotMob reported that Alonso took over a Chelsea side that finished 10th in the Premier League in 2025-26, with the Blues parting ways with two head coaches, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, during the season.
Alonso framed the move as a fresh start after returning to England 17 years on from his departure from Liverpool as a player, and he said he is “over that setback” despite the earlier Real Madrid disappointment.
Chelsea’s pre-season preparations continue with the team facing Juventus in Hong Kong, with AC Milan, Johor Darul Ta’zim and Real Sociedad listed as other opponents before visiting Fulham on August 24.
Self-criticism and motivation
In an interview with The Athletic, Alonso told reporters, “Fortunately, there are not too many scars in my career,” adding, “I got a scar, now it is healed, and I am determined to enjoy this next step.”
He said he took stock of what did not work at Real Madrid by being “very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better,” and he described the experience as “a mix of everything” involving adaptation, game changes, and managing the human side of the group.
The New York Times reported that Alonso said “Sure, sure, sure” when asked whether the disappointment made him a better manager, and he replied that “you learn from the disappointment of things that were not meant to be.”
In the same Australia tour context, The New York Times quoted Alonso on the break he took, saying, “Mainly to reset the energy because the energy that you need as a manager… you need to be full of energy.”
FotMob also tied Alonso’s approach to Chelsea’s rebuilding, noting that BlueCo backing would allow nine signings, including a British-record £117m swoop for Morgan Rogers.
Chelsea project and next tests
Alonso’s comments come as Chelsea’s season context is framed by FotMob, which said the Blues have not finished higher than third in the Premier League since winning the title under Antonio Conte in 2016-17 and that three of the last four seasons failed to make the top four.
“There is big potential to improve, and let's see how long it takes”
FotMob reported that Alonso believes Stamford Bridge is “positive,” saying “There is big potential to improve,” and he described the club’s process as building momentum “together” with “the same ideas” and “the same analysis.”
The New York Times added that Chelsea’s recent trophy drought since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium took over in 2022 has left only two trophies—Conference League and Club World Cup, both won last year—while last season ended with Chelsea finishing 10th, 33 points behind champions Arsenal.
In the same coverage, The New York Times said Alonso is the first hire under the owners to be given the job title of manager rather than head coach, and it described his early focus on culture and team spirit as “as important as tactics.”
As pre-season moves toward competitive fixtures, FotMob listed the sequence of opponents—Juventus in Hong Kong, then AC Milan, Johor Darul Ta’zim and Real Sociedad—before the Premier League visit to Fulham on August 24.
