Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on how he has set his team up to combat Brentford's set pieces, long throws and fast transitions: "Yes they do that very well but not just that. They do other things, not just the transition, not just the set-pieces.

"I think it is a team, a club that has developed the project and the game very well. They are very complete in many aspects, with or without the ball. And playing there, you see the numbers, they have great strength playing at home so it is going to be a big challenge. I saw the game from last year, you learn everything and tomorrow is going to be a big test for us."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on balance and Moises Caicedo's presence: "Moises is one of the top midfielders in the world. And for sure anything with him in the middle is a better team and we are aware of that. But at this moment we will see tomorrow.

"He has not been able to play so we have had to cope with that situation and when he will play, we will benefit from his qualities, his balance, his presence. I think that he is very inspirational for the players and they are looking forward to it."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on Joao Pedro missing another opportunity with Brazil after he was left out of the World Cup squad: "He has moved on from the summer, from the World Cup. He has this strong desire, determination to have a great season so far. So the summer is far away now.

"He will be in the future for sure [selected for Brazil]. I am pretty sure that he is going to be."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on his defensive changes: "The defence is all the team it is not just the back four or the back five whatever. It is about the team, it is how we compete, how we adapt to the different moments when we take the lead or when the game is even.

"We need to have the same mentality to be competing in different moments. We know that the Premier League is very difficult to control the whole game. But, to be able to adapt, to feel that you have the awareness that is needed, it is very important for sure.

"I've had four or five weeks since we started, this is going to be the seventh game in this block. It is an important one because it is before the international break, because it is Premier League, because it is away against Brentford.

"It's always tough so we will have to play with a high demand game."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on Marco Palestra and Jordan Henderson: "Tomorrow, final decision. Sorry I am repeating, but your questions are the same.

"The players know everything we need to assess, all the decisions with the last training and tomorrow we will take the decisions for the game at Brentford."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on Reece James not being involved in training on Tuesday: "It was just a decision for Tuesday. We will see his development and tomorrow we will decide."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on Moises Caicedo: "He is getting closer and tomorrow we will take the final decision in the team and in the squad that is coming to Brentford."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on Joao Pedro: "In terms of injuries and in terms of the squad, we are having the last training session tomorrow so no one is ruled out for us for Friday so I prefer to be cautious and we will be waiting until tomorrow to make the final decision on every player."

On can he confirm the injury: "No"

On whether he can play against Brentford but not for Brazil in the international break: "It is a possibility."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on how confident he is that his side will return to challenging for major trophies: "That is why we are here. To work to get into that position, knowing that the competition that we have but for sure the ambition of the club, the potential of the club, the dimensions of the players, of where we are. We know where we want to be. We know everything takes time but the ambition for that is very clear."

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Chelsea

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso on the change in ownership at the club: "I think it is an important day for the club when there is an important change in the structure of the club, new ownership.

"Thanks to the former owners for what they have done. I was not here but I know that they played an important role. And now that Behdad [Eghbali] is taking more control, or almost full control, I think it is good that the main one is clear.

"I have a very good relationship with Behdad; he was the one who came to Madrid to explain the project to convince me and we are working well together. As I have mentioned, this is phase one we have completed in project of the squad. It is good and now we move on together."

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Chelsea

Xabi Alonso says it is a "possibility" that Jordan Henderson could make his Chelsea debut tomorrow, against Brentford - the club he moved to Stamford Bridge from in the summer.

Henderson has been unavailable since breaking his wrist attempting to vault an advertising board following England's win over Mexico at the World Cup.

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Chelsea

Asked about Joao Pedro, who has pulled out of the Brazil squad with injury, Alonso says no one has been unavailable from first team training this week.

He declines to say what sort of injury Pedro has.

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Chelsea

Xabi is here!

We will bring you what he has to say shortly...

Chelsea

The Blues made a strong start under new manager Xabi Alonso, winning their first two Premier League matches. However they have faltered this month, losing at Arsenal then drawing at home to Hull on Saturday.

Chelsea are sixth in the very early Premier League table, with seven points from four games.

They have also reached round four of the League Cup, thanks to a bonkers 6-3 win over Leeds last week. Last night's draw has paired the Blues with Liverpool in what should be a fascinating tie at Anfield in late October.

Jack Skelton
BBC Sport

Since the takeover in 2022, Chelsea's highest Premier League finish is fourth in 2024-25, with the club also winning the Uefa Conference League and Fifa Club World Cup that season.

The club have also had a remarkably high turnover of players over the past four years, with the initial strategy focusing on signing young players to long-term contracts.

Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and appointed Xabi Alonso as their manager in the summer.

Chelsea have ongoing plans either to redevelop Stamford Bridge or move to a new stadium, which sources say had created tension at times between Boehly's camp and Clearlake.

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Chelsea

Boehly, who is a co-owner of baseball franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers, said it had been an "honour" to serve as Chelsea chairman.

"I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea, and the legions of dedicated fans," he added.

"I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the club. I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake's leadership."

Eghbali and Feliciano thanked Boehly for his "time and contribution" as chairman, saying he will "always be a part of the Chelsea story and family".

They added their focus is to "continue investing in the club's infrastructure, sporting performance, player development and delivering long-term success for Chelsea and the club's supporters".

Chelsea

BBC Sport reported in August that Boehly and Walter were exploring selling their stakes.

Multiple sources said talks started within Chelsea's ownership group after a rift, first apparent in 2024, led both sides to explore buying each other out.

Boehly and Walter have also sold their shareholding in Chelsea's partner club, French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg.

Jack Skelton
BBC Sport

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and director Mark Walter have sold their stakes in the club to majority owner Clearlake Capital.

It means Clearlake - led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano - have now acquired full control of the club.

Boehly, Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss each had a 12.8% stake, with Clearlake previously owning 61.5% of the Blues.

In a statement the club said Wyss "will remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group".

However American Boehly will leave his role as chairman, a position he has held since 2022 when the consortium bought the club for £2.3bn from Roman Abramovich in the wake of the Russian being sanctioned by the UK government over alleged links to his country's president Vladimir Putin - something he has denied.

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