After arriving in Australia on Saturday evening – and having a night to try to adapt to the nine-hour time difference - the players enjoyed breakfast at the team hotel before travelling to the North Sydney Olympic Pool, which will officially reopen next month after more than five years.

The squad undertook a gym session to refresh after the long flight from London, before goalkeepers Robert Sanchez, Teddy Sharman-Lowe and Ted Curd took a dip in the open-air pool.

Across the city at the ACU Strathfield Campus, 48 local teams were competing in a specially organised youth tournament. There was a Chelsea legend on hand, with former Blues captain Gary Cahill meeting those taking part and offering invaluable advice.

The first opportunity for Alonso to work with his squad on the grass during the tour came later in the evening at Allianz Stadium, the home of A-League side Sydney FC and a venue that hosted matches at the 2024 Women’s World Cup.

Before training got underway, our new manager spoke with Les Kiss, coach of Australia’s rugby union side and a long-time Chelsea supporter having fallen in love with the club during the late 1990s.

'I was coaching at London Broncos, a rugby league club, and the two closest football clubs to me at that time were Chelsea and Wimbledon,' Kiss explained.

'Every time I watched a Chelsea game, Gianfranco Zola stood out. His expression and creativity with the ball, and the fact he played with a smile on his face, meant that Chelsea was my team.

'Whenever I go back to London, I try to get to a game at Stamford Bridge. Both my kids still live in London though so it's a common thread between us all.

'But this tour, it's so great for the supporters and it will hopefully bring new supporters into the fanbase. You'll get great support for both games I'm sure, and especially on Saturday night [against Tottenham]. So please win!'

The session was open to the public and more than 5,000 Blues supporters watched on as Alonso put his players through a series of different drills, which culminated with a group of players powering shots home from the edge of the penalty area.

Before heading back into the dressing room, the players and coaching staff made sure to make the evening one that several supporters will never forget, with countless shirts signed and selfies taken.

'The fans have been amazing since we landed,' Blues midfielder Romeo Lavia explained before leaving the Allianz Stadium pitch.

'We all know how important representing this badge is, but when you have something like this and you see what the club means to people around the world, it makes it feel even more important.

'We’ve got two weeks ahead of us and we want to take it all in with the fans and enjoy the moment together.’

It was back to the hotel after training for an evening meal. Preparation will continue tomorrow as the Blues move toward our first tour fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday.

Xabi Alonso will undertake a pre-match press conference, which supporters will be able to watch live on the Official Chelsea App and website. We will also continue to bring you the latest news, interviews and behind-the-scenes content from our trip.