-
News
- 5 minutes ago
Is Xabi Alonso already repeating his Real Madrid mistakes at Chelsea?
Updated: 17 Aug 2026 06:51 CDT |
5 min read
News
Chelsea have not played a competitive game under Xabi Alonso, yet the former Real Madrid boss sent out a strong message to his players during the final pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad.
New signing Morgan Rogers and a double from Joao Pedro allowed the Blues to secure a 3-1 win in their final warm-up match for their Premier League campaign.
But it was also a game that saw Alonso make a surprising decision that harked back to his short stint as Real Madrid head coach.
The call to hand Enzo Fernandez the captaincy in the second half of the match following Reece James’ exit was a surprising move in itself, but jeers from a sizeable section of the Chelsea support made it all the more significant.
It was an unavoidable issue for Alonso, and yet even in a friendly match it was a critical decision that sets the tone for his man-management of the squad – something that was his downfall in Madrid.
Current ETV
Enzo Fernández
M, DM (C)
Chelsea
Enzo Fernández
M, DM (C)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€83.3M - €101.8M
Alonso learned at Real Madrid that results are not enough
Alonso made his name at Bayer Leverkusen, where he played a brand of dynamic and exciting football that was also highly successful. He led the club to a spectacular undefeated season in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, with their sole blemish across all competitions arriving in the Europa League final.
He was therefore seen as an ideal candidate for Real Madrid when Carlo Ancelotti departed the club in the summer of 2025.
It very quickly went sour at the Bernabeu for the Basque, though. Simply boasting the best win percentage of any Real Madrid manager in a decade – superior to that of three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane and better than that of Ancelotti in his second stint at the club - was not enough.
Alonso lost the political game by losing the dressing room. He publicly clashed with Vinicius Junior, who revolted against him during El Clasico, while Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham were among the other Galacticos who were reportedly unhappy with the manager.
When he departed in January 2026, results were not his problem. Relationships were.
Real Madrid head coaches since June 2015
| Name | Matches | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Benitez | 25 | 68.00 |
| Zinedine Zidane | 263 | 65.78 |
| Julen Lopetegui | 14 | 42.86 |
| Santiago Solari | 32 | 68.75 |
| Carlo Ancelotti | 234 | 68.80 |
| Xabi Alonso | 34 | 70.59 |
| Alvaro Arbeloa | 28 | 64.29 |
Alonso’s Enzo Fernandez captaincy call sets the tone
Chelsea’s dressing room is not the snake pit that Alonso experienced at Real Madrid, but it is not without its problems.
Enzo Fernandez is currently foremost among these. For months, the Argentina international has been openly flirting with a move away from Stamford Bridge. It reached a peak in the spring, when his club internally suspended him for two fixtures.
The transfer rumours have not gone away. He continues to be linked with a move to Manchester City, where former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca wants him as his high-profile replacement for Rodri.
The Blues have done their best to put a lid on the concern by issuing a deadline of last Friday for City to make a move. They did not, yet the whispers persist and appear likely to until the end of the window.
It was, therefore, a bold move of Alonso to hand Fernandez the captain’s armband when he replaced Reece James.
It may appear a symbolic statement of trust that the manager has in the Argentine, but it also raises a bigger question: is Alonso prepared to accommodate player power?
This, after all, is not simply a question of Enzo Fernandez. It concerns Alonso and the perception of who is really in charge in the dressing room.
Alonso isn't necessarily repeating his Real Madrid mistakes yet. But his decision to make Enzo Fernandez captain raises an uncomfortable question over who is really calling the shots in his dressing room once again.
Expert opinion: Enzo doesn’t deserve Chelsea honour
Chelsea expert Cameron Smith believes that Alonso needs to carefully consider his choice of leadership, and that Enzo is no longer worthy of the armband.
“Enzo Fernandez has never officially been named Chelsea vice-captain, but he has performed that role since the appointment of Enzo Maresca in 2024 and he has regularly worn the armband in Reece James’ absence,” he says.
“The Argentine has been one of very few leaders in the Chelsea dressing room over recent years, although that has undoubtedly changed this summer thanks to the arrivals of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson.
“Fernandez has also arguably been Chelsea’s second-best performing player over the past 12 months, behind Joao Pedro, and he has regularly led by example with his performances on the pitch. But, he evidently wants to leave and while Alonso is keen to retain faith in the midfielder, he doesn’t deserve to be the club’s vice-captain if he is actively agitating for a move.
“Levi Colwill is now back to full fitness and is a suitable candidate to replace Fernandez in the captaincy pecking order, given his leadership in defence, while Moises Caicedo is a more worthy option for the role too, having recently been named Ecuador captain.
“With the new season less than a week away, Alonso needs to finalise his leadership group and while Fernandez has shone for Chelsea since his arrival at the club, his desire to leave means he no longer deserves the vice-captaincy role.”
