India, July 28 -- Chelsea's preparations for the new season begin with an away pre-season clash against Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia, marking the first outing of the Xabi Alonso era at Stamford Bridge. Supporters will finally get a glimpse of Alonso's ideas on the touchline as the former Bayer Leverkusen boss embarks on the task of restoring Chelsea to the top of English football.

Several first-team stars, including Morgan Rogers, are absent from the traveling squad, while newly-signed defender Marco Palestra could make his unofficial debut. Alonso arrives in west London with a reputation for tactical innovation after a remarkable spell in Germany, where he guided Bayer Leverkusen to historic success. Though his stint at Real Ma...