Chelsea will open their 2026/27 campaign by playing three matches in the space of seven days after the Carabao Cup draw left them facing an early-season fixture headache.
Alonso's first competitive outings
Xabi Alonso will face the first competitive outing of his Chelsea tenure on Monday, August 24, visiting Alvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham, before hosting Brighton the following Sunday.
With no European football to consider, Alonso had seemed set for a fairly pedestrian start to life in west London, but Monday night’s Carabao Cup draw has thrown a spanner in the works.
Carabao Cup draw adds to congestion
The Blues drew Luton Town at home, and must face them during the week commencing August 24, with Thursday the 27th seeming the most likely date.
That leaves Alonso facing a brutal first week of the season, with three matches to be played in the space of seven days.
Limited rest and squad rotation
Chelsea will have just two days off between each of their first three matches. There will be some respite following the Brighton match, though, with Chelsea set to enjoy a full week off before visiting Arsenal.
Arbeloa and Fulham are facing a similar crisis, with their Carabao Cup draw with Wimbledon also leaving them facing three matches in seven days.
Alonso will need to make full use of his larger-than-average squad that week, though plenty of outgoings are expected before the transfer window closes on September 1.
Transfers and pre-season form
Filip Jorgensen is the latest confirmed departure, with the Dane joining Strasbourg on a single-season loan, while a variety of academy starlets are also expected to secure loan moves.
Alonso also has one last pre-season friendly with which to fine-tune, facing his former club Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Results from pre-season so far have been mixed, with a comfortable victory over AC Milan coming in contrast to a narrow 6-4 defeat of A-League strugglers Western Sydney Wanderers and further losses to Juventus and Tottenham.
