Xabi Alonso, the new technical director of the English Chelsea team, revealed the behind-the-scenes details of his sudden departure from coaching Spanish Real Madrid, and his ambitions with the Blues squad in the next season.
After taking charge of German side Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso made history in 2024 by leading them to an unprecedented domestic double, their first Bundesliga title and first German Cup win since 1993.
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso’s statements
Alonso said the achievement was “unexpectedly wonderful,” but after joining Real Madrid in May last year, he left by mutual consent following reports in Spain of disagreements with key players such as Vinicius Junior.
Commenting on his early departure from Madrid, Alonso said: “Fortunately, there aren’t many scars in my career. I suffered a wound, and now it has healed, and I am determined to enjoy this next step just as I enjoyed it when I began my journey in Madrid.”
He added: “As for the things that didn’t work out, I was very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better, while learning from disappointments.”
Alonso held secret meetings in London and his hometown of San Sebastian over three weeks in early May this year to ensure Chelsea was the right choice for him.
Despite questions over why he chose the Blues over his former club Liverpool, Alonso confirmed there had been no official offer from the latter.
He added: “I saw the positives and the concerns within Chelsea, and I addressed them. We had the same ideas and analyses, so we can start together building positive momentum. That’s why we are taking these steps together and making decisions to build a strong team.”
Answering a question about the support he received, Alonso said: “We have taken some important and decisive steps in the summer transfer market, but I feel we can still take more.”
He continued on reshaping his team: “You need the right balance between personalities and stages of maturity, with players in their early twenties, early thirties, and all ages in between.”
Although Chelsea finished last season in tenth place without any title, Xabi Alonso sees an exciting opportunity in his new club.
Explaining why he accepted the job, he said: “The situation wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the end of last season. There is great potential for improvement, and we’ll see how long that takes.”
A month into the role, Alonso feels optimistic that much of what he hoped for has begun to materialise. However, some uncertainty remains as he looks to leave his mark on one of England’s biggest clubs, this time as a manager rather than a player.
Pointing first to his heart and then to his head, he said: “Certainly, a lot of it had to come from here, and also from here.”
He concluded: “The decision must come from intuition. I felt the timing was right for the club and for me personally. It was a good opportunity, and I felt I had the chance to enjoy being a technical director.”
