SpotlightBBC SportUnverified source· 9 Aug 2026
Alonso's Chelsea: Bonding, Building, and No Excuses
New boss Xabi Alonso ran off jetlag at 4:30 per km, setting a no-excuses tone for Chelsea's marathon pre-season.
Xabi Alonso
coach
Manager
Xabi Alonso
Club
Chelsea
Pre-season record
Two wins in five matches
Distance travelled
24,561 miles by plane
Tour stops
Sydney, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Iskandar Puteri
What happened. Chelsea's pre-season under new manager Xabi Alonso focused on bonding and building culture, despite a grueling 24,561-mile tour.
- Alonso ran 4:30 per km to set standards.
- He played in a staff match, setting up goals.
- Fitness work was done at Cobham before tour.
Chelsea now head into the season with Alonso's culture of no excuses established.
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