The first stop of the day was Hickson Road Reserve – situated across the water from Sydney's famous Opera House – as representatives from the four teams competing in the 2026 Sydney Super Cup came together alongside Steve Kamper, the New South Wales Minister for Jobs and Tourism, and Minister for Sport.

Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez joined Alonso while players and coaches from Western Sydney, Sydney FC and Tottenham Hotspur were also in attendance ahead of tomorrow's (Tuesday's) opening fixture at Accor Stadium.

It was then on to Sydney FC's impressive Sky Park facility for the day's training session. Alonso was once again hands-on throughout, as the Spaniard continues to instil his tactical principles in the squad he took charge of at the start of the month.

'We need to go step by step,' the Blues head coach later explained at his pre-match press conference to preview the game against Western Sydney, which you can watch live via CFC+ on the Chelsea Official App and website.

'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].'

Alonso was swiftly followed at the press conference table by Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, who missed the majority of last season due to a knee ligament injury.

Colwill returned to action in May, giving him a sense of normality before the summer break. It was an important step in his journey back to full fitness, and he is keen to make up for lost time during the forthcoming campaign.

‘I'm ready to go,’ said Colwill. ‘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.

'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, and I feel like I'm a better person for it.’

After training, the players returned to the team hotel for a late lunch. Meanwhile, a few streets away, members from the Sydney Chelsea Supporters Club and other Blues fans were assembling for an event with Blues legend Gary Cahill.

The former Chelsea captain undertook a question-and-answer session with fans and recalled stories from his illustrious career at Stamford Bridge, much to the delight of the supporters in attendance.

Many of those – if not all – will be in the stands tomorrow evening as the Blues' pre-season fixtures begin. Those who have yet to buy their tickets for the fixture can do so here, and for those not in Sydney, do not forget to sign up for CFC+ to watch the fixture live.