Xabi Alonso hasn’t wasted any time setting the standard at Stamford Bridge, laying out exactly what he expects from his Chelsea side.
Chelsea’s 10th-place Premier League finish last season was utter chaos, complete with managerial musical chairs and zero European qualification to show for it.
Naturally, the board’s response was to hire Xabi Alonso and throw another small country’s GDP at the transfer market, splashing cash on shiny additions like Maxence Lacroix.
Without mid-week European trips to Kazakhstan, Alonso gets the luxury of uninterrupted training weeks at Cobham. Chelsea fans might miss the bright lights of Europe, but at least the squad won’t be nursing jet lag while trying to figure out who their actual teammates are at the weekend.
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Xabi Alonso wants Chelsea to finish as high as possible
Speaking to Stan Sports, Xabi Alonso refused to put an exact position on Chelsea’s finish for the upcoming campaign, but you can see the ambition.
“Time will tell [what Chelsea will compete for in 2026/27], but for sure the aims and the ambitions are to be as high as possible. Time will tell where we deserve to be.”
Having no European football this season is both a bitter pill and a massive opportunity for Chelsea.
For a club used to European nights, missing out on Europe entirely hits hard financially and historically, but it gives Xabi Alonso a rare, golden advantage. Without exhausting mid-week flights or endless squad rotation, Alonso gets full, uninterrupted weeks at Cobham to drill his philosophy.
Free from European distractions, Chelsea can throw all their energy into the Premier League and domestic cup competitions, using the lighter fixture list to build consistency, minimise injuries, and push aggressively for a return to the Champions League.
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