Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has reflected on his departure from Real Madrid and opened up about his emotional state ahead of the new season with the London club.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing Madrid Universal, the 44-year-old Basque coach was dismissed by the Spanish giants in January following the team's defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Speaking during Chelsea's pre-season tour in Sydney, Alonso admitted that losing his job at the Santiago Bernabéu was one of the few painful moments of his football career.
"Fortunately, there haven't been many scars in my football career. Yes, this one left a scar, but wounds like that heal. It's all behind me now, and I'm incredibly motivated and determined to enjoy this new chapter just as much as I did when I first took charge in Madrid," Alonso said.
