Xabi Alonso Takes the Chelsea Job After Turning Down Liverpool
Xabi Alonso signed a four-year contract to become the new manager of Chelsea, choosing Stamford Bridge over an anticipated return to Liverpool after leaving Real Madrid, as reported by as.com. The former midfielder, who masterminded Bayer Leverkusen’s domestic double in Germany, agreed to terms with the London club following the dismissals of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior during a turbulent previous campaign.
Stamford Bridge Restructuring Persuades the Former Leverkusen Boss
Chelsea officials secured the appointment by offering Alonso a restructured club organogram and broader decision-making authority. The Spanish coach admitted to Sky Sports interviewer and former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher that he saw clear potential in the squad despite a difficult prior season. “No tenía ninguna relación con el Chelsea, pero lo conocía,” Alonso told Carragher regarding his assessment of the club’s foundations.
Anfield Dreams Fade as Reds Turn Elsewhere
For months, supporters on Merseyside viewed Alonso as the natural successor to Jürgen Klopp following the German manager’s departure at the end of the 2023–24 season. Alonso made 210 appearances for Liverpool during his playing career, most notably scoring the rebound from his own missed penalty in the 2005 Champions League final comeback against AC Milan. However, after Alonso opted to remain with Bayer Leverkusen for the 2024–25 campaign—where his side finished with 69 points before his eventual eight-month stint at Real Madrid—Liverpool appointed Arne Slot. Slot secured a Premier League title in his debut campaign before results faltered the following year amid injuries and a quarter-final Champions League exit against Paris Saint-Germain.
From Real Sociedad to Rescuing Bayer Leverkusen
Before taking charge in Germany, Alonso managed youth teams at Real Sociedad and Real Madrid. Upon arriving at Bayer Leverkusen, he rescued a team from the lower zone of the table to put them into the Europa League. There he achieved a considerable milestone, ending Bayern Munich’s hegemony in the Bundesliga. His side won the DFB-Pokal and reached the Europa League final, which was the only match the BayArena outfit lost all season. Following his departure from Real Madrid after eight months, Alonso watched developments from afar while unemployed.
Immediate Return to Merseyside Beckons
Alonso’s first test in the Chelsea dugout arrives swiftly with a fixture against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday. The visiting manager steps back onto familiar turf under starkly different circumstances than the homecoming many supporters anticipated during the final weeks of Slot’s tenure. Chelsea enters the match looking to regain momentum after dropping points at home to Tottenham, while the home side recalibrates following a domestic slide that saw Arsenal capture the league title 22 years later.
Related reading
