👀 I still have scars: Xabi Alonso on his Real Madrid exit

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OneFootball

·02 de agosto de 2026

👀 I still have scars: Xabi Alonso on his Real Madrid exit

Spanish coach Xabi Alonso has officially taken charge of Chelsea, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in the Premier League. At 44, after a brief spell at Real Madrid and his historic unbeaten campaign with Bayer Leverkusen, the Tolosa-born manager is fully motivated to lead the London club’s project.

Ferencvarosi TC

Real Madrid

08/08/2613:00

Self-criticism after his spell at the Bernabéu

Speaking to The Athletic, Alonso reflected maturely on his departure from the Madrid club and said the experience served as a learning process for his professional development:

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“Fortunately, I don’t have many scars in my career. I have one, but it heals. Now that it’s closed, I’m very motivated. I’ve been very self-critical, thinking about what I could have done better because things didn’t turn out as I expected.”

🚨 Xabi Alonso: “I got a scar (from Real Madrid), but now it’s healed. Looking back, I take the positives and the things that didn’t work. I’ve been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better because it did not go as expected.” @TheAthleticFC
– domingo, 2 de agosto de 2026

An unprecedented role and a shared vision

The tactician is taking on a role never before seen at the British institution, serving as both head coach and sporting director. The board has already made a major investment in signings — including the arrival of “Colo” Barco — to build a competitive squad for the new season.

Alonso explained that their shared assessment of the team’s potential was the decisive factor in signing his contract, guided by a mix of heart and instinct to take Chelsea back to the top of European football.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 DAVID GRAY - AFP or licensors