Chelsea FC's new manager Xabi Alonso has spoken about the 'scar' he suffered from his short tenure at Real Madrid. Alonso, who took charge at the Santiago Bernabéu after a hugely successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen, lasted just over seven months in Madrid and left after losing to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final in January.
What happened?
Alonso's time at the club was marred by rumours of disputes with senior players, in particular Vinícius Júnior. "Luckily there are not too many scars in my career," Alonso told reporters at the start of Chelsea's preseason tour in Australia. "So, OK, I got a scar, but this heals. Now it is healed, and I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid.
Why it matters for Chelsea FC
Alonso is now the man tasked with turning Chelsea's fortunes around after the west London club suffered a dismal 2025-26 campaign, cycling through three different managers and finishing 10th in the Premier League -- a position which means Alonso will not coach the Blues in Europe this season. Nonetheless, the 44-year-old said he is optimistic about the club's chances this season.
What comes next?
On his decision to join Chelsea, Alonso said: "It had to be a lot from here and also from here," pointing to his head and his gut, respectively. "I saw it was good timing from the club, good timing for myself, a good opportunity. "It is a team that has played really well recently and the situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season. There is a big potential to improve and let's see how long [it takes]."
Chelsea begin their Premier League season with a trip to west London rivals Fulham on Aug. 24. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 6th in Premier League, 48 pts, 13W-9D-10L from 32 games, recent form LLLWL. Goals this season: 53 scored, 41 conceded (+12 goal difference). Title race: 22 points behind leaders Arsenal.
