Xabi Alonso will come face to face with a former Liverpool team-mate when Chelsea complete their pre-season tour in Malaysia this weekend, with Luis Garcia hoping his old friend’s new side finish below Liverpool next season.
Chelsea travel to Johor Darul Ta’zim for the final leg of their tour, where Garcia now serves as chief executive. The club will host Chelsea at their 40,000-capacity Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Sunday. Garcia and Alonso both signed for Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool on the same day in 2004, though they only met properly at their unveiling press conference. Garcia recalled being surprised that Alonso answered a question in perfect English, having earlier claimed he did not speak the language well. Both players started in Liverpool’s Champions League final win over AC Milan that season and went on to play together for Spain.
Garcia relishing reunion but wants Alonso to finish second
Garcia said he and Alonso remain ‘really good friends’ and have stayed in touch over the years. He described Chelsea as the biggest test JDT will face this season and said the stadium will be packed for the occasion. Garcia said JDT cannot wait to challenge themselves against a top club and top players, adding that facing Alonso makes the occasion special. He said he wished Alonso all the best at Chelsea but hoped his friend’s side would end up second to Liverpool next season.
Chelsea’s tour has already included matches against Tottenham, Juventus and AC Milan in Australia and other parts of Asia. JDT, meanwhile, prepared for the friendly with a training camp in Alicante, where they drew with Rangers and Elche before beating Cartagena. The Malaysian club have not lost a domestic match since 2021 and are currently on a world record-equalling 108-game unbeaten run, which could be extended when their season resumes in August. Garcia said breaking the domestic unbeaten run in their opening game would be one of the most incredible records in football.
Ambitions to grow Malaysian football
Garcia said JDT have reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League and want more Malaysian teams competing at that level. He explained that competing in the Asian Champions League last season proved difficult against sides with significantly larger budgets, noting a gap between rivals with budgets over $150m and JDT’s $15m. Garcia said the club wants to contribute to the development of Malaysian football with the aim of reaching the World Cup one day.
He said JDT have brought in Spanish coaches at academy level to bring the club closer to a professional style of work, pointing to Spain’s World Cup success as evidence of the value of a long-term coaching philosophy. Garcia, who splits his time between Spain and Malaysia, holds a Uefa Pro Licence and a sporting director licence, though coaching duties are left to compatriot Xisco Munoz. He said the club’s facilities, modelled on Real Madrid’s training base, have given JDT top-class infrastructure to build on.
