The new Chelsea boss admitted that his dismissal at Real Madrid took an emotional toll, but insists he has drawn valuable lessons from the experience and can't wait for a fresh start at Stamford Bridge.
Xabi Alonso, the new Chelsea manager, has broken his silence on the "scars" left by his brutal departure from Real Madrid, where he was sacked in January 2026 after just seven months in charge. Ahead of the new Premier League season, the 44-year-old Spaniard insists the wound has healed and that he is extremely motivated for the challenge that awaits him in London.
"Fortunately, I don't have too many scars in my career. So, okay, I got a scar, but it's healing. Now it's healed, and I'm very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step, just as I enjoyed starting out in Madrid," Alonso said at the unveiling of Chelsea's pre-season tour in Australia, as reported by Goal.com.
The former Liverpool and Bayern midfielder arrived at Real Madrid with a huge reputation after winning a historic unbeaten domestic double with Bayer Leverkusen. However, the atmosphere at the Bernabéu proved far more combustible, and his tenure ended following a defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final.
Alonso stressed that he used his time away from the dugout to conduct a detailed analysis of his own approach. "Looking back, I take the positives and the things that didn't work. I've been very self-critical, thinking about what I could have done better because it didn't go as expected," he said. He added that it was a mix of everything, from tactical ideas to man-management, and that the experience has only sharpened him further.
Alonso's arrival at Stamford Bridge comes at a pivotal moment for a club that went through three managers in the 2025/26 season and finished tenth in the Premier League. With no European football this season, the focus is entirely on the domestic league, which Alonso sees as an opportunity to implement his philosophy without the pressure of a congested fixture list.
He explained that the decision was made with both heart and mind. "A lot had to come from here and also from here," he said, pointing to his heart and stomach. "I saw that it was good timing for the club, good timing for me, a good opportunity. This is a team that has played very well recently, and the situation wasn't as bad as it looked at the end of last season. There's huge potential for improvement."
Alonso will take charge of his first Chelsea match on August 24, 2026, in an away London derby against Fulham, where he will face another former Real Madrid player, Álvaro Arbeloa, who has taken over the home side.
As Alonso begins a new era in London, it's interesting to recall the players who traveled in the opposite direction, from Real Madrid to Arsenal. Among the five most notable, according to Planet Football, is Croatian footballer Davor Šuker.
Šuker joined Arsenal in 1999 after impressive performances for Real Madrid and winning bronze with Croatia at the 1998 World Cup. Although he scored eight goals in 22 Premier League appearances, his time at Highbury was overshadowed by the departure of Nicolas Anelka and the arrival of Thierry Henry, who became a club legend.
In addition to Šuker, Arsenal have also brought in Dani Ceballos, Júlio Baptista, Mesut Özil, and current captain Martin Ødegaard from Real Madrid, with the latter considered the most successful transfer between the two clubs.
On the other side of Madrid, José Mourinho has received a significant boost for the continuation of preparations. According to Marca, Vinícius Júnior, Bernardo Silva, and Brahim Díaz have finally joined the squad after international duty, giving the Portuguese tactician much-needed squad depth at no cost.
"I'm afraid not all players will be available, and I'd love to train with the other players for three weeks. But that's not possible," said Mourinho, whose side has been training with a depleted squad for weeks, relying on academy youngsters and a handful of veterans. The return of this trio, especially Vinícius, who led Brazil at the World Cup, brings new energy ahead of the start of La Liga.
