Xabi Alonso has officially started his tenure as Chelsea Football Club’s manager, months after his appointment in May. The 44-year-old Spanish tactician arrives in London bringing tactical expertise gained from previous roles at Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. He steps into the position left vacant after the dismissal of Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea management expects Alonso to leverage his background to revitalize the team after a disappointing 10th-place finish last season that excluded them from European competition. On Thursday, the club released a social media video capturing his arrival at the Cobham training facility, marking the beginning of his tenure.
The Stamford Bridge environment is familiar to Alonso, who visited during his playing career with Liverpool. Notably, he was responsible for ending Chelsea’s 86-game undefeated home league streak with a decisive goal. He also netted a penalty during the intense 4-4 draw in the 2008/2009 Champions League quarter-finals. His contract is scheduled to run through the summer of 2030.
