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Xabi Alonso is entirely focused on guiding Chelsea back to the top of English football, yet he couldn't resist reflecting on his turbulent spell at Real Madrid, confessing it felt like "it ended a little bit earlier" than anticipated, while acknowledging uncertainty over whether he could have steered Los Blancos to glory.
Appointed as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement at Real Madrid in the summer of 2025, Alonso lasted only eight months at the Bernabéu. Poor performances, a strained relationship with Madrid star Vinícius Júnior, and questionable team selections all played a role in the Spaniard's dismissal following a defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in early January.
In a sit-down interview for Sky Sports with former Liverpool teammate Jamie Carragher, Alonso opened up about his short-lived time at Real Madrid. While he acknowledged the premature ending, he harbors no bitterness toward the club despite the circumstances of his departure.
"The feeling a little bit that it finished a little bit earlier," Alonso said. "[Not] knowing if it was going to finish well or wrong. It was in the middle of the season, we were still in La Liga and the Champions League. But it was an experience to manage Madrid.
"Madrid is special in everything. It's a little bit different to other clubs in everything. And I learned from that and I don't look back with anger, I look back with 'okay, I tried it, I tried to give my best' and now focusing on the future. But I had to try it."
The Reason Why Alonso Decided to Become Chelsea Manager
Despite his disappointing stint at Madrid, Alonso remained a highly sought-after managerial figure, with several clubs linked to him in the months that followed. Given his storied history at Liverpool as a player, many anticipated he would take over as the Reds' new head coach as the Arne Slot era at Anfield began to unravel.
However, Chelsea acted swiftly and secured Alonso as their new manager even before the 2025–26 season had concluded. His choice to join Stamford Bridge surprised many, but he revealed that it simply felt like the right opportunity at the right moment.
"It was about the timing," Alonso said. "For me it was the right time after Leverkusen, after Madrid. I had my time off and I wanted to choose to have a good connection, a good feeling about where to go.
"And I knew Chelsea. I had no link but what I heard, what they had, the potential was here, few things could change. And I thought that we could start the journey together. I had a feeling that, a very strong base of the squad was very good.
"With some updates, improvements, new signings of different profiles we could have a solid team. And it was going to be a project; it's not that in year one it's already done. We know it might take some more years, but the first year is important and here we are, it's just starting. The feeling is that we could be aligned, on the same page. That's going to be important."
Alonso Is Certain Chelsea 'Will be Better' Come Season's End
Alonso's time at Chelsea has produced inconsistent results so far. The Blues boast one of the most potent attacks in the Premier League and currently occupy fifth place in the table, yet only newly-promoted Ipswich Town have shipped more goals than Alonso's side, who are coming off a dismal home loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
Nevertheless, the Spaniard acknowledged that Chelsea remain a team under construction, and that his squad will look considerably different by the season's conclusion — and not just different, but markedly improved.
"The Chelsea we are now and the Chelsea we will be in May, it will be different," Alonso said. "And I'm sure that it will be better, because on this way, there will be a lot of ups and downs. How to overcome those downs, how to take the positives from the ups, will make us, in this journey, get better.
"I'm sure of that. Even in this seven games I've felt [this]. In 38 games, there will be more. And with those experiences, with the players we try to get better. We improve together."
Chelsea must respond emphatically to their dismal showing against Spurs, with two high-profile fixtures on the horizon. Alonso's side face a tough away trip to Liverpool on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup fourth round, before welcoming a struggling Manchester United side at the weekend as they look to get back on track in the Premier League.