Xabi Alonso has spoken publicly for the first time since taking charge at Chelsea. The 44-year-old Spanish coach acknowledges that his missed opportunity on the Real Madrid bench left its mark. But he now insists that wound belongs to the past.
The Madrid chapter needed to be clarified. Alonso acknowledges that things did not unfold as he had hoped at Real Madrid. He speaks of a scar that has since healed, and it is precisely the need for a strong new project that led him to accept Chelsea's offer. He is emphatic on one point: the decision had to come from the heart above all else. London, in his view, represents that genuine challenge.
Personal circumstances also weighed in the balance. Alonso is settling in the British capital with his wife Nagore and his daughters. His eldest son, meanwhile, is beginning his university studies in Spain. A family setup that adds an extra dimension to this career choice. Chelsea currently compete in the Premier League, and the club expect their new head coach to consolidate a position in the upper half of the table. For Alonso, the time for regrets is over: it is time to get to work.
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