Xabi Alonso's first match in charge of Chelsea couldn't have written itself any stranger: a 3-2 win at Fulham, managed by Alvaro Arbeloa, the former teammate who took Alonso's old job at Real Madrid after he was sacked in January.

What happened

Chelsea won 3-2 at Craven Cottage in their Premier League opener under Alonso, according to ESPN and Al Jazeera. Joao Pedro gave Chelsea a dream start just 31 seconds in, chipping in off a Cole Palmer pass. Fulham levelled through Josh King in the 23rd minute after a mistake from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, before debutant Morgan Rogers restored Chelsea's lead just before halftime. Palmer added a third four minutes into the second half, and Fulham pulled one back through Gonzalo Garcia in the 54th, again after Sanchez failed to hold a shot. Chelsea held on for the win.

A packed, brightly lit football stadium viewed from above during a night match
Chelsea's Premier League opener under new manager Xabi Alonso was played at Fulham's Craven Cottage.

Why it matters

Real Madrid sacked Alonso in January, roughly half a season into his tenure, following a defeat; pundit Jamie Carragher has argued the fallout was tied to tension involving Vinicius Junior, though that's Carragher's own analysis rather than an official reason from the club. Real Madrid replaced Alonso with Alvaro Arbeloa, his former Spain and Real Madrid teammate. Arbeloa himself lasted only until May, when Real Madrid moved on again and brought in Jose Mourinho, and Arbeloa was appointed Fulham's head coach in July after Marco Silva left for Benfica. That chain of events meant Alonso's very first match in a new job, at a new club, in a new country, happened to be against the exact person who'd taken his old one — a coincidence Plataforma Media and other outlets covering the match highlighted directly.

Premier League highlights of Fulham 2-3 Chelsea, Xabi Alonso's managerial debut.

What people are saying

Al Jazeera called it a "thrilling" start to the Alonso era, while ESPN focused on how Chelsea's new-look front three "dazzled" in the opener. Much of the post-match discussion also centered on Robert Sanchez, whose two individual errors gifted Fulham both of their goals — a real subplot for a Chelsea side otherwise buoyed by an eye-catching attacking performance.

A classic black-and-white soccer ball resting on green grass
Chelsea's attack scored three times in Alonso's first match, but Fulham twice punished the same goalkeeper's mistakes.

Key takeaway: Alonso got the ideal opening result and an early look at a dangerous front line, but the same match also flagged a real problem to watch in goal. And whatever comes next for either manager, this particular reunion, ex-Real Madrid boss against the man who replaced him, will be hard to top for pure storyline.