Xabi Alonso is facing his first Chelsea crisis and it could lead to the unthinkable

Estevao has played just 47 Premier League minutes under Alonso and was benched in Wednesday's Carabao Cup loss to Liverpool, drawing fan dissent.

Xabi Alonso is facing early criticism at Chelsea over his handling of Estevao, the £117m Brazilian winger who was a crowd favourite last season. The 19-year-old has featured sparingly since Alonso's arrival, accumulating only 47 Premier League minutes across six appearances and sitting out the entire Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday, when supporters chanted his name in protest.

Alonso has defended his approach, citing the intensity of English football and Estevao's recovery from a hamstring injury. He has favoured Pedro Neto, Morgan Rogers and other options in attacking positions, with Rogers' £117m signing and Cole Palmer's form also limiting opportunities. The manager's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation from his Bayer Leverkusen days does not naturally accommodate wingers.

The situation echoes issues Alonso faced at Real Madrid with young Brazilians Endrick and Vinicius Junior. With Chelsea out of European competition and now focused solely on the Premier League and one domestic cup, Estevao's path to regular football appears increasingly uncertain, raising questions about whether his future lies elsewhere.