Chelsea: Xabi Alonso heals Real Madrid scars to lead Blues' senior revolution
Xabi Alonso is currently managing Chelsea FC during their pre-season tour in Australia, drawing on his extensive playing career at Liverpool and Real Madrid. The article explores his transition from a youth coach to a successful manager at Bayer Leverkusen and his current efforts to reshape Chelsea.
Why it matters
Alonso is considered one of the most promising young managers in world football, and his tenure at a major club like Chelsea is a significant development in European sports.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Xabi Alonso left Real Madrid less than eight months into a three-year contract
Football reporter in Sydney Published 2 August 2026 Watching Xabi Alonso coach his Chelsea team conjures flashbacks of his playing days at Liverpool and Real Madrid.
The 44-year-old, who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010, is fully involved in training sessions, teeing up players with accurate short passes before hitting his trademark cross-field balls at Sky Park, the home of Sydney FC.
It has impressed his players in Australia on their pre-season tour, with outstanding ball-playing centre-back Levi Colwill saying he feels "jealous".
In a hotel in Sydney's Darling Harbour, Alonso detailed the long path to Chelsea through his father, Periko Alonso, a fellow Spain international and former Real Sociedad and Barcelona player.
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