Xabi Alonso targets Chelsea revival after healing from Real Madrid setback

Xabi Alonso says he has recovered from the disappointment of his time at Real Madrid and is determined to make the most of his new role as Chelsea manager.

The former Spain midfielder began last season in charge of Real Madrid but was dismissed midway through the campaign, following their defeat by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup.

Chelsea have appointed Alonso as their head coach from the start of next season after a troubled campaign in which they finished 10th in the Premier League.

Speaking during Chelsea’s pre-season training camp, Alonso said he had learned from his time at Real Madrid and was ready to embrace the next stage of his career.

“Fortunately, there are not many scars in my career,” he said.

“Okay, I got a scar. Now I am healed, and now I am very excited and determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid. But you have to move on.”

Alonso admitted he had examined his own performance closely after his departure from Real Madrid.

“Looking back, I take the positives and the things that did not work,” he said. “I was very self-critical, thinking about what I could have done better, because it certainly did not go as expected. But you move on to other things.”

He added: “There are many experiences, and the adaptation I had to make. Some things worked and some things did not, in terms of the game and in terms of managing players. It is a mixture of everything.”

The 44-year-old was a highly regarded midfielder during his playing career and worked under several prominent managers, including Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Rafael Benitez.

It was during his final playing years at Bayern Munich under Guardiola that Alonso became particularly interested in coaching, regularly questioning the former Barcelona manager about his methods.

“We were very close. I was very curious,” Alonso said.

“I was at that moment in my career when I could go to his office and say, ‘Pep, why is this happening? What is the game plan?’ Maybe when I was 20, I did not have the confidence to go to the manager’s office and ask those questions.”

He continued: “But at that moment, because of the trust, I needed to do it, and I wanted to do it.”

Alonso believes the timing of his move to Chelsea was right for both himself and the club. The appointment followed a difficult season for the Blues, who ended the Premier League campaign in 10th place.

“I saw that the timing was right for the club, and it was right for me too. It is a good opportunity,” he said.

“It is a team that has played very well recently, and the situation was not as bad as it looked at the end of last season.”

“There is huge potential for improvement, and we will see how long that takes. I felt I had an opportunity to enjoy being a manager.”

Chelsea have also added experience to their squad since Alonso’s appointment, bringing in Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. Henderson previously won both the Premier League and the Champions League with Liverpool.

Alonso said finding the right blend of personalities and experience would be central to his plans.

“You need the right balance between personalities and stages of maturity, from the early 20s to the early 30s and everything in between, with players at different stages of their careers,” he said.

“There is no formula for it, but there is a feeling for it.”

“For me, that is no less important than tactics. First, team spirit. Then comes playing good football. Then comes winning matches.”