Roberto Di Matteo, the man who masterminded Chelsea’s first Champions League triumph in 2012, is betting big on Xabi Alonso to drag the Blues back into Europe’s elite. After a brutal 2025/26 season that saw Chelsea tumble to 10th in the Premier League, Di Matteo reckons that missing out on European football this season could actually be a blessing in disguise.
Let’s be real: Chelsea fans are spoiled rotten. Three decades of silverware will do that to a fanbase. But last season was a train wreck—three different coaches, a January meltdown, and zero European qualification. Di Matteo, now a pundit for SuperSport at the World Cup, isn’t panicking.
“People have short memories,” Di Matteo told ESPN. “A year ago, Chelsea won the Club World Cup and the Conference League. But last season? Ugly. No other way to put it.”
Here’s the silver lining: no European commitments mean Alonso gets a full week to drill his system into the squad. “That’s a massive edge,” Di Matteo says. “He can shape the team without the Thursday-Sunday grind. I’d be shocked if they’re not in the top four.”
History backs him up. Antonio Conte turned a 10th-place finish in 2015-16 into a Premier League title the next season. Sound familiar? Chelsea went from Mourinho’s implosion to Conte’s masterclass. Now, Alonso steps into a similar void—but with a fanbase that’s seen three head coaches in one season.
Maresca bailed for Manchester City mid-season, Rosenior got the axe after four months, and McFarlane was just a stopgap. Alonso, though, got the “manager” title, not just “head coach.” That’s a power move. But in Chelsea’s revolving door, that’s no job security guarantee.
The Blues open the season at Fulham on August 24. No pressure, Xabi—just the weight of a club desperate to get back to the big dance.