Xabi Alonso now knows when his first home competitive game as Chelsea manager will take place.
During his unveiling last month, Alonso said he was looking forward to making his Stamford Bridge debut, though he has had to wait a while to mark the exact date in his calendar.
“I will feel goosebumps for sure. Those days, they are special. When you are in the new home you want to perform good,” Alonso revealed.
“So that day, it will be in the Carabao or against Brighton, but you want to have that feeling from the first day and that’s marked in our calendars.
“We will get ready for that but the stadium is, it can create this heat. It works both ways. We need to create that bond to feel that when we play at home, we are strong.”
Xabi Alonso is looking forward to creating a connection with Chelsea fans
Getty
The match is scheduled to take place the week commencing August 24, though with the Blues facing Fulham that day, it’s likely the visit of Jack Wilshere’s side will be on August 27 which is three days before Brighton visit Stamford Bridge.
What are Xabi Alonso’s first six games as Chelsea manager?
*Fixtures subject to change.
