Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham sent messages to Marcos Alonso who sealed Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Burnley on Sunday in his first appearance since September.
Alonso had to wait for four months to make the Chelsea line-up once again since the 3-3 draw against West Brom on September 26.
The 30-year-old reportedly fell out with former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard after a dressing-room row at half-time (Goal) which put a big question mark over his future at the club.
With Thomas Tuchel’s now taking over the reign, everyone starts with a clean slate, including Alonso who did not waste the opportunity to impress the new manager.
It was not a vintage performance, but he gave exactly what you would expect him to do in his favoured left wingback role: an extra goal threat up front.
And he delivered, striking a beautiful volley into the roof of the net and sealed Tuchel’s first win at Chelsea.
“This is the way! Well done boys! On to the next one,” he wrote on his Instagram account.
Chelsea teammates’ reactions
Several Chelsea players, including Kai Havertz, Pulisic and Abraham were clearly happy with Alonso’s impactful return.
“Grande,” Havertz said in the comments of Alonso’s Instagram post.
“Happy for you brother,” Abraham wrote in his Instagram story.
While Pulisic said: “Let’s go, hermano! Come on, Chelsea.”
After the game, Tuchel said he decided to start Alonso ahead of Ben Chilwell due to his bigger frame which would help Chelsea in set-piece situations.
But the manager’s 3-4-3 system also suits Alonso who is accustomed to the system, having played under a similar formation under Antonio Conte.
Will Alonso now become first-choice left-back? Who knows? But if Tuchel opts for the back-three system once again, Alonso has certainly made his case.
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