Chelsea’s Premier League fixture schedule has been released with Xabi Alonso discovering his schedule for his debut season at Stamford Bridge
Xabi Alonso hasn’t officially started his job as Chelsea manager just yet but he already knows what he will face in his first matches of his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso, who will start work at the Blues’ base in Cobham on July 1, has a big summer ahead of him before he can start worrying about the Premier League fixture list too much. The Spaniard will work in tandem with the club’s sporting leadership team in the summer transfer market to try and build a competitive squad for the upcoming campaign.
Said campaign will begin with Chelsea making the short trip to Fulham. A west London derby; while not the fiercest of derbies in English football in terms of the atmosphere, it is still a stern test for Alonso in his very first match as Blues manager. The Cottagers are still in the process of appointing Marco Silva’s successor, so it will be interesting to see who Alonso goes head-to-head with in the dugout battle at Craven Cottage on August 24.
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
With Alonso’s first home match as Chelsea boss against Brighton sandwiched in between, the Spaniard will then take his team to the champions Arsenal at the beginning of September. It is Alonso’s very first game against one of the so-called ‘big six’ and against the recently-crowned Premier League winners, it does not get much more difficult. Of course, Alonso will come up against his close friend Mikel Arteta as well.
The first taste of the Chelsea-Tottenham rivalry will take place in late-October, with Spurs the visitors to Stamford Bridge. Manchester United are then the visitors to SW6 the following week, with the match scheduled to be on Halloween, though that is subject to change at this point.
Alonso will welcome former club Liverpool to Stamford Bridge in early-December. Plenty of Reds supporters were desperate for Alonso to be appointed as Arne Slot’s successor towards the end of the season when the Dutchman was under serious pressure. However, Liverpool missed the boat re Alonso and Chelsea did not waste any time. Alonso is close friends with new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola, and an intriguing tactical battle awaits.
It will be interesting to see what sort of reception Alonso gets at Anfield when he returns there as Chelsea manager at the beginning of May.
After the Liverpool clash in December comes two tricky games, firstly away at Manchester City before welcoming Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge around a week before Christmas – the latter is expected to be, providing he is appointed as widely expected, Enzo Maresca’s first return to the west Londoners since his and the club’s chaotic break-up in January.
On Boxing Day, Chelsea will reunite with club legend Frank Lampard away from home, before the former Blues midfielder returns to Stamford Bridge in early-March.
Chelsea welcome Arsenal to west London in mid-March, before the home clash with Manchester City the following month. Alonso will wrap up his first season as Blues boss with a home match against Brentford, scheduled for a 4pm kick-off on May 30.
Thousands of fans upgraded their Premier League matchday last season. This is how they did it.
Various Prices
Seat Unique
Buy official packages at Seat Unique
Official premium experiences available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
