Xabi Alonso arranged a staff-only game at Chelsea's Cobham training ground before the squad flew to Sydney for pre-season, mixing new arrivals who came with him alongside staff already inside the first-team building. Alonso's team won, with the new head coach reportedly setting up the goals himself, according to a source close to the club.
The exercise set the tone for a tour in which Chelsea's players repeatedly praised Alonso's coaching style and his evident touch on the ball, a throwback to his playing days as a midfielder for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain.
Levi Colwill said Alonso had been "spraying balls around for no reason" and playing "a perfect pass every time" during sessions. Several players in the squad echoed the sentiment, adding that they liked how Alonso does not stop training the moment a player strays a few yards out of position, unlike other coaches, since matches themselves cannot be paused.
Acclimatising for Australia
Chelsea's sports science department told the squad to act as though they were already on Australian time from the moment they left the tarmac in London. Dinner was served shortly after departure despite the flight leaving in the morning, and players were then told to sleep. The squad also stopped at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka, for a stretching session midway through the journey.
Life in Sydney
Chelsea stayed at the W hotel in Sydney, which overlooks Darling Harbour and has an infinity pool. Before training at the Allianz Stadium, Alonso met Les Kiss, the new head coach of the Australia rugby union team, for a chat.
A running club of sorts formed among Chelsea's backroom staff, meeting in the hotel lobby before heading out. Alonso aims to run 10 kilometres three times a week at a pace of four minutes 30 seconds per kilometre, and kept up the routine, along with the odd round of golf, despite struggling with jet lag throughout the trip.
Open training draws Satpayev's fans
Chelsea's open training session at the Allianz Stadium was watched by 5,289 fans, several wearing Kairat FC shirts and holding Kazakhstan flags in support of 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev. Satpayev featured on the tour as an "international trialist" because his transfer from the Kazakh champions cannot be completed until he turns 18 on August 12, a move that required permission from both Kairat and his parents.
Supporters turned out for players across the squad, including one fan holding a cardboard cutout of Liam Delap's face and another with a sign reading "Robert Sanchez could have saved the Titanic."
Drills, a volleyed goal and Willie Isa
Fitness coach Ismael Camenforte Lopez led the drills at the Allianz Stadium, with Alonso occasionally stepping in, at one point telling Romeo Lavia to check his surroundings after the Belgian midfielder met a cross he should have left for a team-mate. As Camenforte Lopez blew his whistle to end the session, Alonso volleyed a bouncing ball into the goal from 25 yards, drawing a huge cheer from the crowd.
Willie Isa, Chelsea's hire from rugby league brought in to work on squad mentality, proved a hit with supporters, signing autographs and telling fans they could expect a better season.
In other sessions, the squad split for a passing exercise involving goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen, reflecting Alonso's preference for his team playing out from the back, while younger goalkeepers Ted Curd and Teddy Sharman-Lowe worked on crosses with coach Ben Roberts. Jorgensen spent only a few days in Sydney before being sent home as a move away from the club neared.
Emergency alarm and an initiation song
On Chelsea's first Monday in Sydney, the squad trained at Sky Park, the Sydney FC training base on a university campus, where the WiFi password read "Football Is Coming Home" with letters swapped for numbers.
At 2pm that day, phones across the group sounded a deafening simultaneous alarm, a test message from the Australian government's new emergency warning system. Separately, a Chelsea staff member on their first pre-season tour with the club was made to perform an initiation song for colleagues, choosing the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way."
Palmer in good spirits
Cole Palmer was in good form on tour, joking he would send bailiffs to Morgan Rogers' door if his close friend used his "cold" celebration next season. Palmer had asked to be selected for the press conference himself, and neither he nor Colwill made England's World Cup squad.
Estevao Willian was seen taking a piggyback ride from defender Wesley Fofana during the trip. Chelsea also brought several academy players, including 16-year-olds Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, arranging boat trips and other activities to keep the younger squad members occupied.
Sponsors, Mudryk news and what's next
Senior players carried out sponsorship duties, with Colwill, Aaron Anselmino and Tosin Adarabioyo visiting Bondi Beach, while Palmer, Joao Pedro, Dario Essugo and Delap attended a Q&A at the Sydney headquarters of tour partner TMGM.
Chelsea owner Behdad Eghbali joined the tour before a 2-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. News also broke during the trip that Mykhailo Mudryk's suspension had been lifted, with players and staff asking the club's sporting directorship team what it meant, and many within the club were said to be delighted for the Ukrainian winger after nearly two years without playing professional football.
Chelsea's players left Sydney International Airport at lunchtime on Sunday, August 2, bound for Hong Kong on a private plane, as Mudryk and new signing Danny Welbeck flew from London to join the squad. The season opener at Fulham is now three weeks away.
