Luis García wishes Alonso luck but hopes Chelsea finish behind Liverpool

According to English media reports, Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso will reunite with former Liverpool teammate Luis García during the final leg of Chelsea's pre-season tour in Malaysia.

García currently serves as CEO of Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), the team that will face Chelsea on Sunday at the 40,000-capacity Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. The two Spaniards' connection dates back to 2004 when they both joined Rafa Benítez's Liverpool on the same day.

Although they had played against each other multiple times in Spanish football, their signing day at Anfield was their first true meeting.

"He told me before the press conference that his English wasn't very good," García told English media. "I answered the first question in Spanish with a translator present, and he responded in fluent English. I thought, 'You rascal!'"

By the end of that season, the two had experienced Liverpool's dramatic comeback victory against AC Milan in the Champions League final, and later played together for the Spanish national team. García said they are still "very good friends" and have stayed in touch, but he believes Alonso will face a tough test in Johor.

After facing top European teams like Tottenham, Juventus, and AC Milan in Australia and other parts of Asia, Chelsea's pre-season will conclude in Johor. This match will be historic for both Johor Darul Ta'zim and Malaysian football.

"Chelsea is the biggest test we will face this season," García said. "I am very happy to welcome them to Johor. The stadium will be packed. We can't wait to compete against a top club and top players, and we are also delighted to face Alonso. I can assure you that we will compete fiercely on Sunday. I wish him all the best at Chelsea, but even though I love him, I hope he finishes only behind Liverpool next season."

Johor Darul Ta'zim previously played against European teams during their training camp in Alicante, drawing with Rangers and Spanish Segunda División side Elche, and defeating Cartagena. They have been undefeated in their domestic league since 2021, currently holding a world record of 108 consecutive unbeaten matches, a streak that may extend when the Malaysian league resumes in August. In Asian competitions, they reached the AFC Champions League quarter-finals last season, demonstrating increasingly competitive ability.

"Hopefully, in our first match of the new season, we can extend one of the most incredible records in football—being undefeated in the domestic league," García said. "The club owner is the Crown Prince of Johor, Tunku Ismail. He has taken the team on an amazing journey. We have world-class stadiums and training facilities that people will rave about. We have no limits, and the motto 'the sky is not the limit' is often mentioned in our locker room."

These training facilities are modeled after Real Madrid's Valdebebas training complex. After retiring, García divides his time between Spain and Malaysia, having obtained his UEFA Pro coaching and sports director licenses. In addition to business activities and strategic planning, he has handed over coaching responsibilities to his compatriot Xisco Muñoz. Johor Darul Ta'zim's coaching staff and youth academy also feature several Spanish coaches, providing world-class training for Malaysian players.

"We want to elevate Malaysian football and build an excellent youth academy," García added. "Spain's World Cup victory shows how valuable it is to have a coaching system and football philosophy sustained over 25 to 30 years. We reached the AFC Champions League quarter-finals, and we hope more Malaysian teams can participate in this competition. The next step is to compete deeper in the AFC Champions League. Last year's experience was a valuable lesson. We performed respectably, but facing teams with budgets exceeding $150 million when we only have $15 million, the gap is indeed significant. Nevertheless, we hope to contribute to Malaysian football's development and one day reach the World Cup."

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