When Xabi Alonso will take charge of his first game as Chelsea manager
Chelsea have announced that Xabi Alonso has signed a deal to become their new permanent manager, although Blues fans will have to wait a couple of months before seeing his tactics in action.
Alonso’s hiring was confirmed by Chelsea less than 24 hours after they had been defeated in the FA Cup final by Manchester City.
Calum McFarlane took interim charge of that game, and will remain in the hotseat until the end of the Premier League season.
When is Xabi Alonso’s first game in charge of Chelsea?
Chelsea are hoping to get Alonso in attendance for the league fixture against Tottenham, giving the Spaniard an up-close look at the side he will inherit.
The 2026/27 Premier League season gets underway on August 22, but Chelsea fans will not have to wait that long before watching their side be coached by the former Real Madrid boss.
Instead, the Blues’ pre-season campaign kicks off in Australia, and a friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers on July 28.
Following this, Chelsea are back in action in Sydney against Spurs, a game which will surely keep its intensity despite the fact there is nothing on the line.
Four days later, the tour moves to Hong Kong and a clash against Juventus, before ending their pre-season campaign on August 8 against A Milan.
Chelsea faced the Italian giants in their very limited pre-season campaign before the 2025/26 season, with Enzo Maresca’s side running out 4-1 winners.
Liam Delap scored twice in that game, which is more than his current amount of Premier League goals since moving to Chelsea.
Pre-season campaigns have never been the best indication of how a domestic season will play out. The Blues were undefeated in Mauricio Pochettino’s tour of the United States.
However, Chelsea fans will take more interest than normal in how their side get on, including what system they line up in ahead of the new season.
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