Xabi Alonso has just completed his latest press conference with the Chelsea manager previewing his side's clash with Juventus, talking about the return of Mykhailo Mudryk, and much more
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso during a press conference(Image: David Gray - AFP)
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Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has just wrapped up his pre-Juventus press conference in Hong Kong.
The Blues take on the Old Lady on Wednesday evening at the Kai Tak Stadium and Alonso has just finished previewing his side's third pre-season match of their four-country tour. As well as talking about the upcoming friendly, Alonso was asked plenty on the club's transfer plans, the signings of Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, Mykhailo Mudryk's return to football and more.
Bobby Vincent was live in Hong Kong at Alonso's presser to ask the Chelsea boss questions. Here is every word the Spaniard had to say:
How is Mudryk? How is his fitness?
We are thrilled that Misha could be with us. We are thrilled. I think that you could see his smile, how great it was for him to be part of a team, because he's been a long time training on his own. And fitness level, we will see. But he has been working hard and now it's about trying to get to do things, passing the ball to teammates, having to integrate in the dynamic. But the first feeling from everyone, we are happy that he's back with us in the team.
When will Jordan Henderson be fit, and what's the latest on Robert Sanchez's injury?
And secondly, just an update on Rob Sanchez and what his fitness is at the moment. Yeah, with Jordan, we expect that he can start training with all the rest of the players that were involved in the semis of the World Cup. We have a few of them involved, so we are looking forward to welcome them. And Jordan, we need to assess because of the injury he had, how long it would take to be fit to compete, because he can train, but we need to be aware of the situation. And Rob is much better, so let's see tomorrow.
Can Danny Welbeck or Mudryk play tomorrow?
Yes. Both of them.
Mudryk fit enough?
We trained yesterday. He came directly from the airport to the hotel. So, yesterday was more about the feelings, more about the emotions, to be back with the players to assess the fitness level. But yes, he could play, maybe 90 minutes too early, but he can be selected. He's selected, so he can play.
Is there pressure on Chelsea given they've spent a lot on transfers?
Well, each season it's a moment to invest, to get players, to sell players, but to do things with a plan that we had in mind. So, we are still three weeks to go in the transfer market, but we have an idea how we want to finish. Let's try to accomplish it the best possible way, and that makes sense with the finances as well. Everything needs to come together with what you spend and what you receive from the sales. So, that needs to make for sure sense. And we want to have a good season. Let's see where we are in May, but for sure we want to have the feeling that we are competitive, that we can deserve to fight for important things during this year. Time will tell, but that's our goal at the moment.
Will Chelsea loan Mudryk?
No decision made. Everything has happened so quick, so the main thing is that he was thinking about the person, to feel back that he was back in the group dynamic, part of a team, and we need to assess. But for sure, he's a special player, it's a special case with him, so we need to be sensitive.
Do you see Nicolas Jackson as part of the club's future?
Yeah, Nico is a great player. He's a threat to play against any defence, so we want to have players that can compete, and Nico for sure is one of them. We need to go day by day checking options, but we are happy that Nico is with us.
What's the physical condition of Mudryk?
Till now, he's been a long time training on his own, so that's for sure, it's different, because football is a team game, and he needs to involve his teammates, but he's really professional in that sense, he has done great work, and now it's about going progressively in that process to be back with the team dynamic.
Where do Chelsea need to improve from Tottenham defeat?
Yeah, we are in the middle of the pre-season, I would say. It's three weeks since we started, three weeks to go, more or less. So we take every game, we analyse it, the things that we have worked, we have done right, what we can improve, and from the Spurs game, we have analysed it, and from tomorrow as well. We know that Juve is a great team, with great experienced players, with a great coach, so it's going to be a great, interesting and useful test for us.
Where are Chelsea in terms of your fitness levels?
Yeah, we are at a stage of preseason. So, still not where we are going to be for sure. We are looking forward to playing in this new stadium. I knew another stadium here in Hong Kong, but the excitement and the engagement with the local fans is fantastic. You feel that they are so, even being far away, they are so close.