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Xabi Alonso compares Joao Pedro to Karim Benzema and Erling Haaland
12 Sept 2026
BBC Sport reported that Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso praised Joao Pedro’s style and quality, comparing the striker’s movement and profile to his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema.
According to the same BBC Sport report, Alonso also said Joao Pedro is at a comparable level to Erling Haaland, placing the Chelsea forward alongside one of the Premier League’s most productive strikers in the manager’s assessment.
The remarks came with Chelsea sitting fourth in the Premier League on six points from three matches, according to official competition data. Their next league fixture is against Hull City on 2026-09-12, before a trip to Brentford on 2026-09-18.
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