Xabi Alonso interview: His Real Madrid 'scar', Guardiola's lessons and why Chelsea feels right

Xabi Alonso is feeling fortunate and not just because he is talking about life as Chelsea’s new manager with a beautiful view of Sydney’s Darling Harbour in the background.Alonso is unaccustomed to being asked about disappointments in his football career. The 44-year-old has a football CV that places him firmly among the elite of the sport. As a player, he lifted 16 trophies with Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain. This includes two Champions Leagues (Liverpool 2005, Real Madrid 2014) and four league titles (Real Madrid 2012, Bayern Munich 2015-17) at club level, plus two European Championships (2008, 2012) and a World Cup (2010) with his national team.It is relatively early days in his coaching career, yet he has already led Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten league and cup doub