Chelsea: Xabi Alonso dealt early suspension blow for new season but fixture release reveals boost | OneFootball

One man will already miss the opening game, but there are reasons for the new head coach to be positive

Xabi Alonso will face an early test of his credentials when Chelsea travel to the reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in their third game of the 2026/27 season.

Alonso will be looking for a fast start to his Chelsea tenure, having signed a four-year contract to take over from Liam Rosenior in May. The Spaniard will hope home is where the heart is as the Blues do not venture outside of London in any of their first six league fixtures.

Without European football next season, Chelsea will have full focus on the Premier League.

The Blues kickstart their season on Monday night with a trip down the King’s Road to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on 24 August.

Alonso will be without Wesley Fofana for his opening game following the defender’s red card - for two bookings - against Sunderland on the final day of the season.

It was Chelsea’s eighth red card of the season, and means Fofana is banned for one game of the new term.

Wesley Fofana shown two yellow cards on final game of season

Getty

Chelsea will then eye back-to-back home games against Tottenham and Manchester United as good opportunities to lay down an early marker.

The Blues will be desperate to continue their excellent record against Spurs, having completed the league double over them for the third season running.

They face Roberto De Zerbi’s side at Stamford Bridge on October 24 before they meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 8.

Chelsea play Arsenal, who lifted their first Premier League title in 22 years last season, on September 5 at the Emirates before hosting their London rivals in the reverse fixture on March 13.

Chelsea, who finished 10th last season, have typically struggled for form over a busy winter period, and there will be no let-up next season, it seems, as they face Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa in successive games in December.

There will be interest, of course, when Chelsea face former player and manager Frank Lampard after he guided Coventry City back to the Premier League.

The two sides meet for the first time on Boxing Day, before Lampard makes a triumphant return to Stamford Bridge on March 3.

Chelsea face Alonso’s former club, Liverpool, at Stamford Bridge on December 5, before travelling to Anfield on May 1.

On paper, the end of the season is much kinder to Chelsea, and they will just hope to have something to play for as the campaign concludes.

Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham make up three of Chelsea’s final six league games.

But with Everton, Bournemouth and Brentford to end the season, there will be an expectation for the Blues to end the campaign on a high.