In the 10th round of the Premier League, Chelsea lost 0-1 to Sunderland away. After the match, Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso accepted an interview with the British media, discussing the team's performance, the difficulties encountered against the opponent's low block defense, and the penalty decision in the final moments.
How do you evaluate this match?
Xabi Alonso: It was a very tight, highly competitive match, with neither side creating many chances. The goal in the game came from that penalty. Against their low block defense, we didn't create enough chances in the final third. We couldn't control our offense well, nor could we sustain effective attacks in their final third.
These are things that can be done; we've discussed them and trained specifically for them. We haven't done well enough yet, but this week we've been training on how to limit the opponent's strengths. Of course, there were situations where we indeed didn't do well. We knew today's match would be tough, with both teams being evenly matched, and it would be a very tight game. Against this team, they will give you a lot of space and a lot of possession, so we needed to play with more precision and more patience.
What are your thoughts on the penalty decision in the final moments?
Xabi Alonso: I haven't rewatched the decision yet. I have nothing to comment on regarding the referee. This is our own responsibility; we could have done better.