Fulham v Chelsea: Rafa Benitez on former players Alonso and Arbeloa as managers
Former teammates Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa are set to face off as managers of Chelsea and Fulham, respectively. Rafael Benitez, who coached both men at Liverpool, reflected on their transition from players to managers.
Why it matters
The match highlights the emergence of a new generation of managers who share a common tactical lineage from their time as players under elite coaches.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso won three major trophies with Spain together
Football reporter Published 24 August 2026, 07:59 BST When former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is asked whether he had expected his then-players Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa to become managers, his response is brutally honest.
"Alonso, yes. Arbeloa, not really," he says. "For me, Arbeloa was a surprise."
Almost 20 years after Benitez brought them together at Anfield, the pair will go head-to-head as Arbeloa's Fulham host Alonso's Chelsea on Monday.
The pair won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, along with domestic league and cup triumphs when they both joined Real Madrid after Liverpool .
They played together for seven years at club level and shared the pitch 262 times for club and country, and their careers have remained closely intertwined since.
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