Xabi Alonso won his Premier League debut as Chelsea manager with a 3-2 victory over Alvaro Arbeloa's Fulham in an entertaining opening fixture.
Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez analyzed the clash between his two former players on the BBC and offered a candid explanation for Alonso's dismissal from Real Madrid last season.
The match at Craven Cottage saw Chelsea overcome defensive difficulties to secure the victory. Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro starred for the Blues, while Gonzalo Garcia scored his first goal for Fulham.
Chelsea and Fulham are both Premier League clubs based in London, competing in the top flight of English football. Alonso and Arbeloa took charge of their respective clubs at the start of the new league campaign.
Managerial Reunion at Anfield and Beyond
Benitez brought both Spanish players to Liverpool nearly 20 years ago when he managed the Anfield club. Speaking on the BBC, Benitez admitted that he always expected Alonso to become a head coach, but said Arbeloa becoming a manager came as a real surprise to him.
The two Spanish coaches shared a long career on the pitch together before taking up management. They won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with the Spain national team, and won domestic league and cup titles at Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool.
Alonso and Arbeloa played together for seven years at club level and shared the pitch 262 times for club and country. Their management careers became linked in January of last season when Arbeloa was promoted from Real Madrid Castilla, the club's reserve team, to replace Alonso after Real Madrid dismissed him.
Benitez noted that Arbeloa had been working with Castilla, comparing it to how he began his own coaching career, before stepping up to manage Real Madrid under special circumstances.
Real Madrid Exit and Club Politics
The most controversial part of the interview came when Benitez discussed Alonso's departure from the Santiago Bernabeu. Benitez did not hold back when giving his assessment of why Alonso was removed from his role at Real Madrid.
Benitez said that Alonso likes to work and organize, but explained that there is a lot of politics surrounding Real Madrid. He suggested that internal politics might be the reason things did not work out for Alonso in Madrid, adding that anyone can fail in management.
The comments from the former Real Madrid coach quickly went viral across social media and sports media platforms following the broadcast.
Future Coaching Options for Benitez
Benitez also provided details regarding his own career and potential future management roles. The 66-year-old manager said he is looking forward to taking on a new challenge and maintains the same passion for football, with his main goal remaining to improve teams and players.
After being sacked by Greek club Panathinaikos last May, Benitez confirmed that he has received several job offers. He specifically addressed media rumors linking him to the vacant Scotland national team position.
Benitez said a national team role could be his next destination because many international management positions will open up after the World Cup. He emphasized that he needs a project where he feels he can achieve success, citing his time at Newcastle United where he achieved promotion in front of fantastic fans.
