‘I played for Arteta and Alonso – it’s clear to me who the better manager is’ | Football | Sport
Xabi Alonso will go head-to-head with Mikel Arteta next season (Image: Getty Images)
Former Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso will go head-to-head with fellow Spaniard Mikel Arteta in next season’s Premier League after putting pen to paper on a deal to take charge at Chelsea. Granit Xhaka finds himself in the unique position of having worked under both managers and has already shared his thoughts on what sets the two apart.
Xhaka was a key member of Arteta’s FA Cup-winning squad in 2020, playing the full 90 minutes of a triumph over Chelsea at Wembley. He spent seven years in north London before linking up with Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023, where he clinched a domestic double in Germany at the very first attempt. Arteta and Alonso were both at the early stages of their respective managerial careers when they worked alongside the Swiss midfielder.
Even so, a noticeable distinction between the two was apparent, most evident in Alonso’s greater willingness to experiment with his tactical shape.
“Mikel has his philosophy and that’s it,” Xhaka told the PFA in 2024. “You know this always change the sides, the free man, let him jump for example.”
He continued: “Even to play always with a back four and never change to a back five for example, or never change like a 4-4-2 with two proper strikers. So you had this 4-3-3, with one six and two eights.
“Xabi is a little bit different. I think that Xabi can play a back four, but he can play as well a back five… What he wants is always two number sixes, not running everywhere or more of the time be in the position.
“But I think that if you are a coach you need your own philosophy, your own tactical, your own ideas. Of course you can always change one or two [things] but you can’t change so many things about it you know?”
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Xabi Alonso and Granit Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen (Image: Getty Images)
The Chelsea role will mark Alonso’s debut in English football and his first position since departing Real Madrid just a matter of months into his three-year deal at the Bernabeu.
He has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with Chelsea, who had interim boss Calum McFarlane in the dugout for their FA Cup final defeat following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal in April.
“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,” the newly appointed Blues manager declared upon confirmation of his arrival. The 44-year-old has committed to a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge and is set to take charge on July 1.
“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition,” Alonso continued. “We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.
‘”There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
