Xabi Alonso endured a frustrating Saturday evening in Sydney as Chelsea were beaten by local rivals Tottenham in stoppage time at the Accor Stadium.
More than 10,000 miles from London, Spurs secured a rare victory over their city rivals to hand Alonso his first unofficial defeat since taking charge at Stamford Bridge.
The result, while coming in a pre-season setting, is not the kind of feeling Alonso will want to grow comfortable with, particularly against Tottenham.
Alonso, typically a calm and composed presence, was unusually animated on the touchline throughout the match, visibly pushing his players from the technical area.
The Spaniard was reportedly non-stop in his communication with the squad, especially during the first half when Chelsea struggled badly to retain possession.
Explaining the first-half difficulties, Alonso said: “The first half was really tight, with some moments that we could have kept the ball a little bit more, so especially in those last 10 minutes of the first-half, we were not able to hold the ball that much.”
Alonso added that after playing with ten men in the second half, his side came close to scoring, but insisted that frustration over results would come in time rather than now.
Off the pitch, the arrival of Maxence Lacroix represents a significant moment for Chelsea’s defensive rebuild, with the France international signing a long-term deal worth £52million from Crystal Palace.
Alonso has previously stated he wants four or five central defenders in his squad before the summer transfer window closes, with Lacroix expected to partner Levi Colwill at the heart of the defence.
Lacroix will not join up with the touring squad due to an extended break following World Cup commitments, but Alonso is already planning around the Frenchman’s arrival at Cobham.
Jamie Gittens continued his promising pre-season form in Sydney, providing the assist for Estevao Willian’s first-half goal after scoring in three consecutive matches heading into the fixture.
The 21-year-old winger, who cost Chelsea £52million from Borussia Dortmund last summer, looked the most threatening attacking player on the pitch for large portions of the game.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez missed the match due to a minor injury, with Alonso confirming that Mike Penders is set to join the squad in Hong Kong next week.
Alonso said of the situation: “Mike is joining us in Hong Kong, and Robert has a minor [injury], not a big thing, but not for today, and we’ll have to wait until, let’s see, for the next week.”
In the absences of both senior goalkeepers, 23-year-old Teddy Sharman-Lowe impressed, producing a fine stop to deny Mathys Tel what would have been a stunning solo goal.
The biggest talking point of the week, however, remains the return of Mykhailo Mudryk, who is cleared to play competitive football again after being sidelined since November 2024.
Alonso expressed genuine surprise at how quickly positive news arrived regarding the 25-year-old Ukrainian winger’s availability, describing the development as unexpected but very welcome.
Alonso said: “To be honest, we were not expecting to have this great news at this moment, so we are very happy. We feel that he will be working with us.”
Mudryk is expected to fly out to Hong Kong in the coming days, with Alonso and his coaching staff planning to assess the winger closely before determining his future this summer.
Chelsea now leave Sydney and head to Hong Kong for the next leg of their pre-season tour, with plenty of decisions ahead for Alonso both on and off the pitch.
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