Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso insists Real Madrid exit came earlier than expected

Speaking to Jamie Carragher for Sky Sports’ Boss interview series, the Chelsea manager looked back on a mid-season exit that came while Madrid were still competing in La Liga and the Champions League. Alonso said he did not know whether the campaign would ultimately have succeeded, but felt the opportunity to find out had been cut short.

“I’m left with the feeling that it ended a little earlier than expected, without knowing whether it was going to end well or badly. It was in the middle of the season, when we were still in La Liga and the Champions League,” he said.

Alonso made clear that he does not look back on the experience with resentment. Instead, he described managing Madrid as an education in itself, given the club’s scale and distinctive environment.

“It is an experience to manage in Madrid. Madrid is special in everything. It is a little different from other clubs in everything. I learned from that, and I don’t look back with anger. I look back and think: well, I tried, I tried to do my best.”

The Spaniard took charge of Chelsea after leaving Bayer Leverkusen and spending time away from management. He said the timing of the move mattered more than any pre-existing connection to Stamford Bridge.

“It was about the timing. For me, it was the right timing after Leverkusen. After Madrid, I had my time off and I wanted to have that good feeling, that good connection about where to go.”

Alonso added that he had no previous link to Chelsea, but saw scope to help shape the club’s direction.

“I had no link to Chelsea, but with the potential that was here, a few things could change and I thought we could start the journey together.”

He said the project would require patience, with the club’s ambitions extending beyond immediate results. Alonso also stressed that being involved in key decisions alongside the ownership and sporting leadership was important to him.

Chelsea’s early season has offered both promise and setbacks, including Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. Alonso accepted afterwards that his team had not performed at their best, while the club’s longer-term task remains to build a side capable of competing consistently for major honours.

His comments on Madrid offered a glimpse into how he has processed a difficult chapter. At Chelsea, he now has the chance to establish a project on terms he believes are better aligned with his approach, with patience and shared decision-making central to the plan.