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Xabi Alonso to Celebrate Chelsea Goals Against Liverpool Despite Joao Pedro Injury

Xabi Alonso has stated he will celebrate if Chelsea manages to score against his former club, Liverpool, during their Carabao Cup match at Anfield. The Blues will face the Reds without key striker Joao Pedro, who is sidelined with a thigh injury sustained in training just before Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.

Alonso’s Respectful Celebration Promise

Though Alonso cherishes his time at Liverpool—where he spent five years, lifted the FA Cup, and scored the equaliser in the 2005 Champions League final against AC Milan—he made it clear that his loyalty now lies with Chelsea as their manager. He said,

"Of course, I will celebrate, for sure. With full respect because my warmth for Liverpool was there as a player. But now, I am in a different role. I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club and if we score, I will celebrate with whole respect."

Joao Pedro Injury Leaves Chelsea Short on Strikers

Pedro is expected to miss the upcoming matches against Liverpool, Manchester United, and Sunderland, keeping him out until at least the next international break. This leaves Alonso with two main forwards: Danny Welbeck, 35, and Emmanuel Emegha, who has yet to debut since joining from Strasbourg. Welbeck is likely to start after only featuring briefly against Spurs despite being fully fit. In that game, Alonso tried Geovany Quenda and Morgan Rogers in a false nine role but Chelsea struggled to create chances and resorted to hopeful long balls.

Alonso Reflects on Liverpool Links and Supports Florian Wirtz

Alonso could have been Liverpool’s manager if his career had taken a different turn. He was linked to the job in 2024 when Jurgen Klopp was departing but decided to stay with Bayer Leverkusen. He recalled,

"At that time, I was at Leverkusen and aware of the situation but I decided to stay. That was my decision."

He also spoke about Liverpool’s £116 million signing Florian Wirtz, a player Alonso coached at Leverkusen. Alonso said,

"One of the main reasons for me being here is the time I spent with him. He was a special player and helped me a lot. Now that he's at Liverpool, I'm following him closely. The next step is always interesting and he's getting there."

Upcoming Challenges for Alonso and Chelsea

Chelsea travel to Anfield aiming to recover from their derby defeat, with Welbeck expected to lead the attack. After facing Liverpool, they have Premier League matches against Manchester United and Sunderland before the international break. Alonso will have to find ways to score without Joao Pedro across these fixtures.

  • Next matches:
  • Liverpool vs Chelsea - Carabao Cup, 28 Oct 2026, 22:00
  • Manchester United vs Chelsea - Premier League (date not specified)
  • Chelsea vs Sunderland - Premier League (date not specified)

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