{"id":22977,"date":"2026-07-30T19:07:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:07:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=22977"},"modified":"2026-07-30T19:07:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T19:07:18","slug":"remembering-the-night-danny-welbeck-left-xabi-alonso-and-real-madrid-chasing-shadows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=22977","title":{"rendered":"Remembering the night Danny Welbeck left Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid chasing shadows"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The 2013 Champions League Round of 16 tie between Real Madrid and Manchester United now has a significant Chelsea influence on it following the club appointing Xabi Alonso as manager, and signing Danny Welbeck.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Blues pulled off a serious coup in managing to hire Alonso, and are prepared to back his demands to bring in players with experience to the first team squad.<\/p>\n

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They have decided that Welbeck fits the bill for what they are looking for, allowing him the chance to break the Premier League record for most goals as a substitute.<\/p>\n

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Danny Welbeck to Chelsea out of nowhere! Share your thoughts below \ud83d\ude31<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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When Danny Welbeck left Xabi Alonso chasing shadows in the Champions League<\/h2>\n

This won\u2019t be the first time Alonso and Welbeck have crossed paths, with them being named in opposite starting XIs when Madrid hosted United at the Bernabeu in 2013.<\/p>\n

While a Jose Mourinho-led Madrid were expected to win the tie, it was United who made the strong start, with Welbeck finding the net 20 minutes into the game.<\/p>\n

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Cristiano Ronaldo had levelled the game in the first half, but United had plenty of chances to win the Round of 16 first leg tie which they would regret not taking later on.<\/p>\n

They ended up losing the tie, with Mourinho and Alonso progressing to the quarter-finals in their bid to replace Chelsea as the holders of the competition.<\/p>\n

The fact this was 13 years ago shows just how much top-level experience Chelsea are bringing into their side. He had comfortably broken through at Old Trafford before Alonso had even moved to Bayern Munich.<\/p>\n

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How many Premier League goals will Joao Pedro score next season? \ud83d\udd2e<\/h3>\n

A hat-trick in his first game under Alonso!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Jordan Henderson is set to join the Blues too, adding a much-needed leader in the dressing room who is not likely to play too many games.<\/p>\n

Welbeck on the other hand will have a role to play on the pitch. Only Joao Pedro scored more Premier League goals than the Englishman in the Chelsea squad last season.<\/p>\n

The incoming signing has left Liam Delap\u2019s place in the side at risk after a nightmare first season at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

Delap\u2019s agents are in contact with a number of clubs to try and sort a move away, with Nicolas Jackson another expected to drop down the pecking order if he does stay.<\/p>\n

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