16/10/2026
🇪🇸🎙 Xabi Alonso's Full Pre-Everton Press Conference:
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Reece James: "We are all disappointed, especially for him. In the last training session. He picked up an injury. He will be close to the team and he is a great influence. We wish him a good recovery. We don't give timelines. It won't be short, it will be a few weeks. We will see before Christmas, after Christmas, we will see."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on James' injury: "Yes, we have until the next break. Four more PL games. A cup game as well. We will be able to manage well with the options we have. The others are available. We feel good. It doesn't mean we will enter the market for a midfielder in January as he will likely be back before then. We will be able to manage well [until the international break]. We feel good."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Reece James' injury affecting January business: "No, I don't think so. We expect he will be back [around the January window]."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Everton: "Tomorrow is going to be tough. But we are looking forward to this game, intensity, high demand and tempo. A good atmosphere. We are looking forward to it. We want to compete. We know what it takes to win away in tough stadiums. For sure, the experience for Brentford is not forgotten."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on 4-4-2 shape vs Bournemouth: "We want to be flexible, but solid whenever we are pressing high or lower. We feel the distances are right and the balances are right. We chose that way versus Bournemouth. Everton will be different."
🔵 Xabi Alonso: "The midfielders need to take, for me, in a game many, many, many decisions. Small ones that look meaningless but are significant. That means they are always thinking one step ahead. We are working for that."
🔵 Xabi Alonso: "It's in the moment [my team talks]. I don't take credit for that [laughs]. It's for the players. Sometimes you talk and lose the game! You need to have an impact. The emotional part of the game is important."
🔵 Xabi Alonso: "We have Moi, Levi, players that take the responsibility. They have the support from the rest."
🔵 Xabi Alonso: "You can be captain without an armband. Ones who wear it have to be proud and take responsibility. You can have leadership without it."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Emmanuel Emegha: "He's not yet [fit]. He felt something yesterday, a little thing. He's going to be training next week. He's still no 100% fit to be playing in the game. When he is fit, he is very special. He's 195m, he's quick, attacks the space. He's going to be difficult for the defenders when he's in good shape."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Jamie Gittens: "Not yet [ready], but still a few weeks."
🔵 Xabi Alonso on Reece James: "I am very confident [of his leadership role during his injury absence]. He is so proud to be playing for this club, to reach this moment [of being Chelsea captain] because he's played many years. To take that responsibility in a natural way and his own way of leadership. He is so respected and has the support."
🔵 Xabi Alonso: "The obsession is to win."
