New Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has revealed his struggles at Real Madrid, saying the experience had left him a “scar” but that he has been better equipped for his new challenge in the Premier League.
Alonso came into the Santiago Bernabéu with high hopes following his impressive performances at Bayer Leverkusen. But his time in the Spanish capital was brief – seven months – before Real Madrid decided to let him go as a former midfielder.
Alonso reflects on difficult Real Madrid spell
The Spaniard was appointed Real Madrid head coach last summer after establishing himself as one of Europe’s most promising young managers. His appointment seemed like a logical choice, given his reputation and his past experience as a player with the club.
But it was soon to be a tricky situation for Alonso as he had to deal with a team full of veteran players. There was also a lot of pressure in the dressing room during his time in charge and some of his tactics were criticised.
Although he had won over 70 percent of his 34 career games, Alonso was let go in January because he didn’t live up to the club’s expectations.
Alonso admits he learned from his mistakes
With several months now having passed since his departure, Alonso has been able to reflect more calmly on what went wrong in Madrid.
The Chelsea manager said he has been very hard on himself, both in terms of his tactical approach and how he runs his players.
Alonso thinks that the experience was a combination of good and bad as there are things that he learned that may be useful in his next job.
Alonso explained that he has been very hard on himself, thinking about what he could have done differently because it didn’t go as planned.
Man-management lessons could help at Chelsea
The one thing that Alonso seems to have learned from Madrid is the need to deal with personalities in the squad.
Real Madrid had several world-class players with a lot of experience at the highest level, which is not the case at Chelsea under Alonso.
The Spaniard knows that getting the right mix of personalities and different phases of a player’s career will be key to his success at Stamford Bridge.
When talking about managing the team, Alonso said there’s no formula, but there’s a feeling for it.
Chelsea provide Alonso with fresh opportunity
Alonso will be given the opportunity to apply those lessons at Chelsea.
The Londoners have also made alterations to their team, focusing on a more even mix of youth and veterans.
That might give Alonso the chance to take a different tack than he took in Madrid, where he had a brief stint.
The 44-year-old has also been able to mentally recharge and prepare himself for another demanding job since he left the management.
Alonso determined to move forward
Though he admitted that his departure from Real Madrid was a disappointment, Alonso says he doesn’t let it bother him anymore.
The former Spain international described the setback as a “scar” but believes that it has now healed.
“Fortunately, I don’t have a lot of scars in my career,” Alonso said. I got a scar, but this one is healed and I’m very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step.
Chelsea chapter begins
Alonso will now seek to apply the lessons from his time in Madrid to his debut full season in charge at Chelsea, as he prepares for his first full season in charge in England.
His past stint at Real Madrid has equipped him with the knowledge of what it’s like to be under the spotlight at a top club, and his time away has given him time to think about what went wrong.
Alonso’s move to Chelsea is more than just another gig for him. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate that the challenging Madrid period was a blip on the radar of his managerial career.
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