Chelsea begins Xabi Alonso era with quick goal against Fulham

Xabi Alonso's Chelsea Debut

Chelsea began the Xabi Alonso era with a quick goal against Fulham, as Joao Pedro scored after just 32 seconds, according to football.london and 101greatgoals.com. The Blues' new manager, who replaced Graham Potter, was keen to make a statement in his first Premier League game in charge. Alonso's side showed promise, with a number of competitive debuts expected, including Morgan Rogers, Pep Chavarria, and Marco Palestra, as reported by standard.co.uk. The match was played at Craven Cottage, with Fulham's new manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, also making his Premier League debut, as noted by 101greatgoals.com. Arbeloa's side was looking to make an impact in the English top division, having finished 11th last season. The Cottagers were eager to qualify for a European competition this time around and were keen to control the game from the start, according to khelnow.com. Chelsea, on the other hand, was looking to improve on a disappointing 2025-26 season, which saw them slump to a 10th-place finish, as reported by 101greatgoals.com. The Blues failed to qualify for the European competition last season and were aiming for a UEFA Champions League spot this time around. Their last three matches in their recent pre-season run were quite a confidence booster for them, and they were not going to back down easily. The game started with a lightning-quick goal from Joao Pedro, who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper after being played through by Cole Palmer, as described by 101greatgoals.com. The goal was a perfect start for Xabi Alonso and the Blues, and it set the tone for the rest of the match. Fulham, however, was not going to give up easily, and they pushed hard to equalize. In the 12th minute, Romeo Lavia was booked for a foul on Oscar Bobb, and Levi Colwill was also booked for a foul on the same player, according to football.london. The referee, John Brooks, was keeping a close eye on the game, and the bookings were a sign that the match was going to be a intense and physical one. As the match progressed, Fulham started to gain more possession and created some good chances. In the 20th minute, Josh King had a crack from the edge of the area, forcing Robert Sanchez into a save, as reported by standard.co.uk. The ball moved a bit in the air, and Sanchez was only able to parry it. King finally got his goal against the Blues in the 27th minute, equalizing for Fulham. The match was frantic, with both teams creating chances and pushing hard to win. The pace was difficult to keep up with, and the game was evenly balanced.

Team News and Lineups

Chelsea's starting lineup included Robert Sanchez, Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Jorrel Hato, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Joao Pedro, as reported by 101greatgoals.com. The substitutes included Mike Penders, Pep Chavarria, Valentin Barco, Enzo Fernandez, Estevao, Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Geovany Quenda, and Danny Welbeck. Fulham's starting lineup included Bernd Leno, Timothy Castagne, Calvin Bassey, Jorge Cuenca, Antonee Robinson, Sander Berge, Alex Iwobi, Josh King, Oscar Bobb, Gonzalo Garcia, and Ezequiel Palacios, according to 101greatgoals.com. The substitutes included Benjamin Lecomte, Kenny Tete, Harrison Reed, Rodrigo Muniz, Kevin, Shea Charles, Ryan Sessegnon, Emile Smith Rowe, and Luc de Fougerolles. The match was broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, and Sky Sports Ultra in the UK, as noted by 101greatgoals.com. Fans in India could watch the match live on the Star Sports Network and Jio Hotstar, while fans in the United States could watch it live on NBC Sports and Universo, according to khelnow.com.