Chelsea released the first interview with Xabi Alonso, the Spanish manager who took over the London club this summer. “The feeling is fantastic; it is a great honor to be part of this great club, which is one of the best in the world, with great success over the last decades, and it is a great privilege to be part of it. Now, we look forward to the challenge. We have challenges, good challenges ahead, but that is the beauty of the moment. The idea is to share the belief that good things will happen to us if we are together and create that strength. The energy has to come from us. Together, we can achieve great things in the coming years,” said the coach, who managed Real Madrid last season. Alonso also revealed what convinced him to accept Chelsea’s offer: “The way they played and competed at the highest level not long ago gave me the confidence that the team’s potential is present, thanks to the quality of the players and the way they play. Now, it will take work to continue many of the things they did and to know that we have reached a very competitive level.” “The opportunity to come to this club was the right one. The potential of the team and the squad left me very excited. It is wonderful to find a squad to work with, to create a football philosophy, to bring excitement to the stadium, and to establish a connection with the fans. I know the energy that Stamford Bridge has,” he said. Xabi Alonso emphasized the need for happiness at the club to achieve success. “You need to have passion for what you do. In football, you have to be willing to pay the price to compete at the highest level. You cannot hold anything back. You give everything for the team, and the team is always the most important. You also need to have a good human relationship with the players. They need to feel good. When that happens, they usually play well,” he stated. “After my experiences in Germany and Spain, I am excited to experience the Premier League. It came at the right time, at the right club, and with the right opportunity. It is the most competitive environment in the world. That excites me, the challenge and the opportunity to prove that we can do great things. We want to create a solid foundation and become competitive as quickly as possible,” concluded Xabi Alonso.
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