Chelsea, under the management of Xabi Alonso, who is currently renowned for his outstanding start to the new season, has achieved significant success. The team has secured four victories in their first five matches and has faced only one defeat, narrowly against last season's champions, Arsenal. The team's powerful attack has scored 16 goals so far and is now facing a tough test against Hull City, who have yet to concede a goal in the Premier League.
Alonso's Praise for Pedro
João Pedro, the young Chelsea striker, who joined Stamford Bridge last summer in a £60 million transfer from Brighton, has recently been named the Premier League Player of the Month for August. He has scored two goals and provided two assists in the first three league matches. Last season, Pedro was the only bright spot for Chelsea in a disappointing campaign, finishing with 20 goals and 9 assists, earning the title of Chelsea's Player of the Season.
Alonso has a strong belief in Pedro and likens him to stars like Erling Haaland. In a press conference before the match, he said: 'If you look at the number of top stars in the Premier League, I'm sure João is among them. He has been outstanding, not only in terms of football but also in terms of character and maturity. He has big goals for this season: to have an excellent season, score many goals, and be nominated for more awards.'
Comparison to Benzema
But Alonso's praise doesn't stop there. He also compares Pedro to Karim Benzema, one of the greatest strikers of the past decade. The two were teammates at Real Madrid, where Benzema won four La Liga titles and five Champions League titles during his 14-year tenure at the club, and also won the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
Alonso continued: 'In many aspects, he reminds me of Benzema. He is good inside and outside the box, he comes in from the left, and he scores with his head as well. He is very complete and intelligent. He is still young and has things to improve on, but he has extraordinary qualities.'
