Alonso faces 'hell of a job' at Chelsea after disastrous 10th place finish

Chelsea officially appointed Xabi Alonso as manager on a four-year contract, with the former Real Madrid boss set to take charge in July after the Blues finished 10th in the Premier League. Gary Neville has warned Alonso he has 'one hell of a job on his hands' following a disastrous season that ended with a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland.

The defeat marked Chelsea's third managerial change of the season, following Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior, and interim Calum McFarlane. Neville believes Alonso has been given complete control at Stamford Bridge, essentially acting as manager, sporting director, and owner combined as the club faces major challenges.

While Alonso achieved remarkable success at Bayer Leverkusen, winning their first Bundesliga title, his seven-month tenure at Real Madrid ended in mutual agreement. Chelsea's poor campaign included eight red cards – twice as many as any other Premier League team – with Wesley Fofana receiving the latest in the final match.

With no European qualification secured, what specific rebuilding strategy will Alonso implement to transform Chelsea from a mid-table team back into Champions League contenders?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/05/25/epl-disastrous-gary-neville-warns-alonso-over-chelsea-job/