Xabi Alonso officially started as Chelsea manager on July 1, 2026, signing a four-year contract with the club after a mixed spell at Real Madrid and success at Bayer Leverkusen [1, 2].
Chelsea played their first pre-season match under Alonso on July 28 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, defeating Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in a high-scoring friendly [3]. João Pedro scored a second-half hat trick to lead the scoring for Chelsea, but the team also conceded four goals, exposing defensive weaknesses and issues with game management [3]. Alonso acknowledged the struggles, saying, "There were moments that we were struggling to find solutions, and we need to have this." He also stressed that "Everyone has to learn. Everyone. It doesn't matter if you are young, if you are more experienced" [3].
Alonso spoke in Sydney on July 27 about a "good energy" at Chelsea as the club prepares to improve after finishing 10th in the Premier League last season without qualifying for Europe [1, 2]. He emphasized a goal to build a competitive squad with the "right balance of quality and mentality," adding, "We want to build a competitive team. We are in that process. We have great quality, great talent" [1]. He noted his tactical approach would update previous systems flexibly rather than overhaul everything [1, 2].
Chelsea’s pre-season additions include Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, reflecting Alonso’s intent to strengthen key positions [1, 2].
The pre-season victory marks Alonso’s first competitive outing with Chelsea. The team will continue preparations ahead of their official 2026-27 season opener, aiming to address defensive lapses revealed in Sydney.
