Photo: Philip Terry Graham / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
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Chelsea held their third day of pre-season activities in Sydney on Sunday, with training and media duties ahead of Tuesday's opening fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers at Accor Stadium.
Head coach Xabi Alonso and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez attended a Sydney Super Cup media event at Hickson Road Reserve, joined by representatives from all four competing clubs — Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC and Tottenham Hotspur — as well as New South Wales Minister for Jobs and Tourism and Minister for Sport Steve Kamper.
The squad then trained at Sydney FC's Sky Park facility, where Alonso continued to work on his tactical principles with the group he took charge of at the start of the month.
"We need to go step by step," Alonso said at his pre-match press conference. "For that, we need to create good energy and good chemistry in the team. The team that will begin in August won't be the same team that finishes in May because I'm sure the team in May will be better than on the first day [of the season]."
Defender Levi Colwill also addressed the media. The centre-back missed the majority of last season with a knee ligament injury sustained on the first day of pre-season, before returning to action in May.
"I'm ready to go," Colwill said. "I think having a tiny taste [of match action] at the end of last season gave me that extra motivation to come back to pre-season with that fire in my belly. I'm ready to go again now and push on from here."
Colwill acknowledged the mental challenge of the lengthy spell on the sidelines. "The injury was a really difficult time for me. It happened on the first day of pre-season and it was really tough to get my head around. But I'm a strong believer that everything happens for a reason, so I just tried to take it in my stride and work my hardest to get back. Thankfully I'm back now, and I feel like I'm a stronger person mentally and physically."
Separately, former Chelsea captain Gary Cahill held a question-and-answer session with members of the Sydney Chelsea Supporters Club near the team hotel.
Chelsea's pre-season fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers kicks off Tuesday evening at Accor Stadium as part of the 2026 Sydney Super Cup.