Xabi Alonso is as well placed as anybody to rate Moises Caicedo. So when our manager says he thinks the midfielder is among the ‘best’ in his position, you take him at his word.
Alonso played at the very top of the game throughout his illustrious playing career, representing Spain, Liverpool and Real Madrid, among others, with distinction. He was his team’s beating heart in midfield, orchestrating the play with his vision and passing ability, and willing to get stuck in when required.
Now Alonso is excited to start working with Moises Caicedo, who has arrived in Sydney for the remainder of our pre-season tour following his World Cup exploits.
‘From the outside, you see his quality, his heart, his mentality,’ said Alonso. ‘I know Ecuadorian players are different. I have spoken to him on the phone, but this is the first contact.
‘He is a top, top player, one of the best holding players in the world, no doubt. Now he is here and it’s time to start work and improve and get better.’
Whether Caicedo is involved when we take on Tottenham at the Accor Stadium on Saturday remains to be seen, but what we know for sure is a huge crowd is expected for this London derby with an Australian twist. You can watch the game live on CFC+.
It will be the crowning moment of our time in Sydney before heading for Hong Kong, and Alonso is excite for the occasion to round off a fabulous week Down Under.
‘Even if it is a friendly, if you have a good atmosphere and you hear that noise from the crowd, the emotion from the fans, it gives you the feeling that the game and atmosphere feels closer to a competitive fixture,’ he said.
‘It’s been a great experience to come here to Australia. It’s a country that has big sports apart from football, but football is popular and we have great support.
‘We have seen that in the training sessions and the games, and we are expecting a good crowd. We are getting more and more of this energy from the people. The facilities here in Sydney have been top level and we are really, really happy.’
You can watch Chelsea vs Tottenham live on CFC+ with a single match pass starting at £9.99. At the same time, a full CFC+ subscription costs just £14.99 for the year, and includes all our pre-season games as well as a plethora of additional exclusive Chelsea content. You can subscribe to CFC+ right here!