Lavia discusses Chelsea pre-season tour and Alonso’s impact
Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia has shared insights into the club’s pre-season tour in Sydney and his initial impressions of new manager Xabi Alonso. Lavia highlighted the global recognition of the Chelsea badge, noting the enthusiastic reception the team has received in Sydney.
Lavia emphasised the significance of these tours, particularly for supporters who cannot attend matches at Stamford Bridge. He noted the passion of the fans since the team’s arrival, visible from their hotel to open training sessions.
Team Unity and Manager’s Influence
The midfielder described the team’s enjoyment of Sydney, mentioning a walk taken upon arrival to recover from the long flight. While acknowledging the focus on work, he expressed hope for more opportunities to explore the city.
Lavia underscored the importance of the two-week pre-season period for team bonding. He believes that spending time together, discovering new places, and creating memories helps foster unity, which is beneficial on the pitch. He described the group as “great.”
Working under Xabi Alonso has been a positive experience for the players, according to Lavia. He praised Alonso’s extensive experience in football and noted that pre-season has focused on establishing fundamental principles for the upcoming season. Lavia, as a midfielder, specifically mentioned the privilege of working with Alonso, who he described as a great player and one of the best of his generation. He observed Alonso’s skill during training sessions, noting his ability to pass balls with precision.
Personally, Lavia stated he feels prepared, having worked with club staff to ensure he was ready for a strong start to pre-season. The team is now looking forward to the upcoming matches.
Pre-Season Training and Injury Updates
On Sunday evening, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso conducted an open training session at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium. This ticketed event provided an early look at Alonso’s coaching methods for both media and fans, ahead of his first match in charge against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Senior players, including Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, and Levi Colwill, participated in the session. The training began with a centre-circle huddle, followed by a pre-match warm-up and a rondo exercise, which is a possession-based drill. The session then progressed to other possession-based exercises and concluded with crossing and finishing drills.
A notable aspect of the session was Alonso’s large and well-organised coaching staff. It was observed that no preference was given to established players like Palmer over younger squad members, such as Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nichol-Jazuli, both 16-year-olds.
Approximately 4,500 fans attended the training session, demonstrating their knowledge of the squad by encouraging staff members like Willie Isa and Calum McFarlane. A group of Kazakh fans were also present to support new striker Dastan Satpaev.
In terms of injuries, Chelsea winger Geovany Quenda is anticipated to return from a minor injury during the club’s upcoming tour of Asia. The 19-year-old has been training under Alonso but was not part of the 27-man squad that traveled to Sydney due to a minor setback. Another summer signing, Emmanuel Emegha, is also sidelined with an injury. The striker, who joined from Strasbourg, is expected to miss the remainder of the overseas tour but is projected to be available for the start of the Premier League season. The team is scheduled to play Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday.
Source: chelseafc.com
