Xabi Alonso Begins Chelsea Reign Against Fulham

Xabi Alonso Begins Chelsea Reign Against Fulham

Xabi Alonso takes charge of his first competitive Chelsea match away at Fulham on Monday, August 24 (8pm kick-off), closing out the opening round of fixtures.

Team News

Chelsea will be without Wesley Fofana through suspension, while Joao Pedro is expected to lead the attack following a strong pre-season, having scored twice in Chelsea's final warm-up match against Real Sociedad. Fulham are managed by Álvaro Arbeloa, who takes charge following a mixed pre-season that included wins over Stuttgart and draws with Málaga and Al Ahli.

Context

Alonso was appointed Chelsea manager in May, following the mid-season departure of Enzo Maresca to Manchester City. Chelsea are looking to improve on last season's 10th-place finish and return to the Champions League.

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