Will Xabi Alonso Be Ready For The Premier League?

With around seven years of management under his belt, Xabi Alonso already has a strong managerial pedigree. Starting his career at Real Sociedad B (the reserve team for Real Sociedad), Alonso moved on to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, before getting the illustrious role of Real Madrid head coach. 

He is now officially the manager of Chelsea FC, and Blues fans will be hopeful that they will see the best side of Alonso’s playing style as he takes up the reins at Stamford Bridge. 

While Chelsea are not favourites to win the league, they look likely to get a top-four finish. You can find the odds of Chelsea finishing in a Champions League spot next season on sites such as Sky Bet, with current odds sitting at 1/1. Before the season starts, players can visit Sky Vegas to enjoy football related slot games such as Goals to Glory Instant Blitz, and perhaps try something new, like the Big Bass Trophy Catch slot. 

While Alonso has been decently successful for the teams he has managed, he has also picked up his fair share of critics. He has also never managed in the Premier League, which is often considered one of the most competitive leagues in the world. 

Let’s take a close look at Alonso’s career so far and how he may perform this season for Chelsea. 

How Does Alonso’s Career Rank? 

Alonso was most recently fired from his position at Real Madrid. However, there were many external factors that led to his sacking. 

It has been rumored that the Real Madrid players were not entirely receptive to Alonso’s relentless tactical approach to management, which strongly differed from that of the previous manager, Carlo Ancelotti’s hands-off style, which allowed a club full of world-class talent to shine on their own.

This led to disputes with quality players such as Vinícius Júnior, which may have been a reason behind his early sacking. Ultimately, he was only there for around six months with a 70.59 win percentage, while they were second in the league. 

At Bayer Leverkusen, he won the league in 2023-24 as well as the DFB-Pokal the same year. These impressive credentials are what made Chelsea want to sign him after they fired Liam Rosenior in April 2026. 

How Will He Perform at Chelsea?

Alonso’s tactical style focuses on an organised, but fluid set up where he can switch between 4-3-3 formations, to as 3-4-3, which he favoured at Bayern Leverkusen. He is excellent at quick counter-pressing as well as passing out from the deep areas when in possession. 

This adaptable approach to management could benefit Chelsea, who have gone through several managers over the last decade (a total of 10 different permanent managers since 2015). 

This means that they will be used to changing their style of play, and they certainly have the star quality available to excel in Alonso’s system. 

It has been stated that Alonso will be given significant transfer control to build a squad to his liking. Alonso favours a dynamic midfield, attacking wingbacks, and a solid defence, all of which Chelsea already have in their fundamental setup. 

A few more signings to this already quality roster could mean that Chelsea excel under Alonso’s management next season.