How Xabi Alonso Surprised Chelsea Star In Penultimate Pre-Season Match | OneFootball

Chelsea's pre-season tour of Australia and Asia has come to an end. Video Credit: Absolute Chelsea

Xabi Alonso caught one Chelsea midfielder by surprise on Sunday evening ahead of the 3-3 draw against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim.

With two matches in the space of 24 hours, Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso was forced into a full rotation to manage workloads while also providing new opportunities for members of the squad. Dario Essugo was the latest Blues player to be handed a spot in the limelight by the new boss.

Essugo was handed the armband for Chelsea’s penultimate friendly against Johor Darul Ta’zim, taking on the role of leading the team in Malaysia. Caught by surprise, the 21-year-old spoke to the club’s in-house media after the match, reflecting on what a ‘pleasure’ it was.

When asked what it was like to captain Chelsea, Essugo replied: "I didn't expect to be captain at this age for this big club, so for me it's just a pleasure, and I enjoyed it a lot. For me it means everything, because I didn't expect it."

Essugo, the former Sporting CP midfielder, joined the Blues in 2025 ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup. Despite being part of the squad last season, the Portuguese youth international struggled for opportunities after picking up an injury during the first international break of the season. The midfielder went on to make just three league appearances, all coming off the bench.

With Alonso distributing opportunities to multiple players during the tour, Essugo, who is reportedly open to a potential loan exit this summer, heaped praise on the new manager.

Essugo in action during pre-season against Juventus. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Essugo and Chelsea have now headed back to the UK to continue preparations at their Cobham training base, with one final test remaining on Saturday against Real Sociedad back on home soil at Stamford Bridge.

Essugo joined Chelsea in June 2025, costing €22.3 million from Sporting Lisbon. Despite arriving from Lisbon that summer, he spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at La Liga side Las Palmas, making 27 appearances.

Despite joining just one year ago and making three appearances at the FIFA Club World Cup - a competition the Blues won - injuries unfortunately disrupted his first season at Stamford Bridge.

He made his debut under former boss Enzo Maresca against LAFC in Atlanta, but went on to play just eight minutes against Manchester City, 17 minutes against Brighton and Hove Albion and one minute against Tottenham as the campaign came to a close.

Wherever his future may lie, it is already looking a lot brighter. With four appearances out of a possible five under the new manager, Alonso, Essugo is looking to put the disappointment of last season behind him as quickly as possible, either with or without the armband.