It is now official, Chelsea have announced that Xabi Alonso will start on their bench on July 1 and will be the coach of the London team for the next four years.
But the signing of the Basque has attracted attention. With his arrival in London, he takes another step in his career as a coach, which despite being short, He has many things in common with another great Spanish coach, one who was his teacher at Liverpool, Rafa Benítez.
I start from the bottom
Benítez has already tasted success as a coach. Xabi has recently joined the elite. But the beginning of both was the same, training grassroots football. They both started at Real Madrid, Alonso with the Infantil A team and Rafa with the Juvenil B team.
After that, they rose in category, and began to manage a direct subsidiary. The Madrid native took charge of Real Madrid Castilla in the 93/94 season, but only until March, as he was recruited as second coach of the first team. But he did direct them completely in 94/95, managing to settle in eighth place.
Xabi Alonso at Real Sociedad B
For his part, Xabi left the white house and decided to train as a coach. with the second team of Real Sociedad. A quarry that he himself tested as a footballer. In its second season got the Basque subsidiary promoted to the Second Division. But it was not all joy, since just one year later, in 21/22, they failed to avoid Sanse’s relegation.
Erasmus as a springboard
To forge themselves as coaches and prove their worth, They both left Spain. In the case of Rafa Benítez, he stayed longer in Spain and his trip through Europe was longer. Between 2004 and 2015 he spent in Liverpool, Inter, Chelsea and Naples.
Rafa Benítez, with Xabi Alonso at Liverpool
And on all teams he was successful. Champions, European Super Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield with Liverpool alongside Xabi, World Cup and Italian Super Cup with Inter, Europa League with Chelsea and Cup and Super Cup of Italy with Naples.
Xabi left directly from the reserve team to a first team in Germany, Bayer Leverkusen. The Basque’s feat was legendary. He took a relegating team in October 2022 and managed to qualify them for the Europa League. But the following campaign, the success was even greater, achieving a national double with League and Cupfrom whom only a rampaging Lookman snatched the Europa League and an historic treble.
Xabi Alonso lifting the Bundesliga trophy
Before the arrival of Spanish, The German club had only won two titles greatest in its entire history. And in 23/24, the former soccer player added two. In his last campaign, the Tolosarra added the German Super Cup to the showcases.
Two early dismissals
After achieving glory, both were signed by Real Madrid after in the previous seasons the merengue club did not achieve any great title. And the two replaced Carlo Ancelotti in office.
Rafa Benítez as coach of Real Madrid
Their time in the first white team had the same problem: not being able to understand the players. The Madrid native had disagreements with Ramos, Cristiano, James or Isco. For his part, the Tolosarra has had to face controversy Vinicius’ reaction in the Classic or the conflict with Valverde.
Furthermore, in both cases There was a confrontation with Barcelona that marked the course of his continuity in Madrid. 0-4 in 2015 It was one of the triggers for Benítez, while in Xabi’s, in addition to the aforementioned league match with the Brazilian’s change, lose the Super Cup in January this year was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Xabi Alonso as coach of Real Madrid
The Madrid native was fired on January 4, 2016 and Alonso on January 12, 2026. The relief of each one also coincides. Both They were replaced by the Castilla coach then. Zidane replaced Benítez and Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea, a new chapter
As mentioned above, Benítez came through the Chelsea bench before joining the Merengue first team. Xabi’s situation has been the other way around, who after spending a few months without a team, In 26/27 he will lead Chelsea.
A team that right now is out of European positions. They can no longer qualify for the Champions League, so The only competitions they can aspire to for next year are the Europa League and the Conference Leaguewho are four and three points away respectively, having one game less than their rivals for the place.