{"id":10064,"date":"2026-05-18T11:32:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:32:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=10064"},"modified":"2026-05-18T11:32:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T11:32:22","slug":"i-played-under-mikel-arteta-and-xabi-alonso-its-clear-whos-the-better-manager","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=10064","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;I played under Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso &#8211; it&#8217;s clear who&#8217;s the better manager&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_184259\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">Xabi Alonso has agreed to take over at Chelsea and will face off against compatriot Mikel Arteta in the Premier League next season<\/h2>\n<p><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37168321\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Xabi Alonso during his time at Real Madrid\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168321.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Real-Madrid-v-Real-Betis-LaLiga.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168321.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Real-Madrid-v-Real-Betis-LaLiga.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168321.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Real-Madrid-v-Real-Betis-LaLiga.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168321.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Real-Madrid-v-Real-Betis-LaLiga.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Xabi Alonso will take over at Chelsea in July\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Xabi Alonso will take over at Chelsea in July<cite aria-label=\"Image: Anadolu via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso will do battle with compatriot Mikel Arteta in next season&#8217;s Premier League after agreeing to take over at Chelsea. Granit Xhaka is in the rare position of having played under both bosses and has already spoken about the differences between the pair.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Xhaka was part of Arteta&#8217;s FA Cup winning squad in 2020, playing the full 90 minutes of a victory over Chelsea at Wembley. He spent seven years in north London before joining Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 and won a domestic double in Germany at the first time of asking.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Arteta and Alonso were both at early stages of their respective coaching careers when they worked with the Swiss midfielder. Even with that context, though, there was a visible difference between the two which was most visible in Alonso&#8217;s willingness to be more flexible with his formations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Mikel has his philosophy and that\u2019s it,&#8221; Xhaka told the PFA in 2024. &#8220;You know this always change the sides, the free man, let him jump for example.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!<\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football&#8217;s Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_ae62be\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Xabi Alonso given Chelsea job title reserved for Jose Mourinho in major statement<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_ae62be\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Xabi Alonso lets slip Chelsea appointment as Liverpool icon to complete move<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He continued: &#8220;Even to play always with a back four and never change to a back five for example, or never change like a 4-4-2 with two proper strikers. So you had this 4-3-3, with one six and two eights.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Xabi is a little bit different. I think that Xabi can play a back four, but he can play as well a back five&#8230; What he wants is always two number sixes, not running everywhere or more of the time be in the position.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;But I think that if you are a coach you need your own philosophy, your own tactical, your own ideas. Of course you can always change one or two (things) but you can\u2019t change so many things about it you know?&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37168353\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37168353\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Granit Xhaka with Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168353.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-LEVERKUSEN-DORTMUND.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168353.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-LEVERKUSEN-DORTMUND.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168353.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-LEVERKUSEN-DORTMUND.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37168353.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_FBL-GER-BUNDESLIGA-LEVERKUSEN-DORTMUND.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Granit Xhaka played with Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen and Arteta at Arsenal\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Granit Xhaka played with Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen and Arteta at Arsenal<cite aria-label=\"Image: AFP via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContentsEmbed_affiliate-contents-container__oTiet\" data-testid=\"affiliate-contents-embed\">\n<div data-testid=\"affiliate-content\" class=\"AffiliateContent_affiliate-content-container__10EX_ affiliate-content\">\n<p>Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package<\/p>\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-disclaimer__dG5ST\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateDisclaimer_affiliate-text__8nmDa\">This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM AffiliateContent_content-details__U6C2M AffiliateContent_has-content-img___LY95\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_content-image__FxPNL\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Content Image\" fetchpriority=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article33404045.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s510b\/0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"AffiliateContent_section-container__JMDzM\">\n<div id=\"product-description\" class=\"AffiliateContent_section-content__QCkL9\">\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside <!-- -->Formula 1, darts and golf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Chelsea job will be Alonso&#8217;s first in English football and first since he left Real Madrid just a few months into his three-year contract at the Bernabeu. He has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea, who had interim boss Calum McFarlane in the dugout for their FA Cup final defeat after dismissing Liam Rosenior in April.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,&#8221; the new Blues manager said after his arrival was confirmed. The 44-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge and will take over on July 1.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition,&#8221; Alonso continued. &#8220;We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u2018&#8221;There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><em>Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don&#8217;t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you&#8217;re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Xabi Alonso has agreed to take over at Chelsea and will face off against compatriot&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10066,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10066"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}