Garcia Wants Alonso's Chelsea Second — Right Behind Liverpool

Two Liverpool legends are about to share a touchline again, just on very different sides of the ball. Luis Garcia, now chief executive of Malaysian powerhouse Johor Darul Ta'zim, faces his old Anfield teammate Xabi Alonso when Chelsea wrap up their pre-season tour in Johor on Sunday.

Old Friends, New Rivalry

Garcia and Alonso go back to July 2004, when both Spaniards signed for Rafael Benitez's Liverpool on the same day. According to BBC Sport, the two had never properly met before that joint unveiling press conference — a detail Garcia recalls with a laugh. He'd opted to answer questions through a translator, assuming the new midfield signing shared his English-language struggles. Alonso then responded in flawless English, leaving Garcia stunned.

They went on to win the 2005 Champions League together, with Alonso famously scoring Liverpool's third goal in that extraordinary comeback against AC Milan in Istanbul. The bond forged that season has clearly never faded. Garcia describes Alonso as a "really good friend" to this day — but friendship only goes so far when the Premier League table is involved.

"I wish him all the best at Chelsea," Garcia said, "but even though I love him, hopefully he ends up second to Liverpool next season."

Alonso is deep into building something significant at Stamford Bridge. His vision for the club is already taking shape, and early pre-season results have been electric — [Chelsea's opening tour match ended in a jaw-dropping 6-4 win]((/article/xabi-alonso-s-chelsea-debut-delivers-a-thrilling-6-4-victory)). New arrivals like [Morgan Rogers are adding genuine quality to the squad]((/article/morgan-rogers-joins-chelsea-a-game-changer-for-xabi-alonso)), and [winger Gittens is already talking up Alonso's world-class credentials]((/article/gittens-ready-to-prove-his-worth-under-world-class-alonso)). Garcia knows exactly the kind of operator his friend is — which is precisely why he wants Liverpool to beat him to the title.

JDT Are No Pushover

Alonso's side won't get an easy send-off into the Premier League season, either. JDT arrive at this fixture riding an extraordinary wave of domestic dominance. The Malaysian club hasn't lost a league match since 2021, sitting on a world record-equalling 108-game unbeaten run in domestic competition. Garcia is hoping that run extends further when the Malaysian season restarts in August.

Chelsea will be the toughest test JDT has faced on this journey by a country mile. Their Sultan Ibrahim Stadium holds 40,000 fans and, according to Garcia, it will be absolutely rammed. The club already faced Rangers, Elche, and Cartagena in a European training camp earlier this summer, going unbeaten through all three matches.

"Chelsea is the biggest test we will face this season," Garcia admitted plainly. "I can assure you on Sunday we will compete."

Building Malaysian Football From the Ground Up

Garcia's role at JDT stretches well beyond match-day. After earning both his UEFA Pro Licence and a sporting director qualification post-retirement, he oversees commercial strategy, long-term planning, and the club's ambitious academy programme — all while splitting his time between Spain and Malaysia. He's brought in Spanish coaches throughout the backroom staff, modelling the club's development philosophy on the kind of sustained system that powered Spain to World Cup glory.

The club's facilities, backed by Crown Prince His Royal Highness Ismail Tunku, are reportedly benchmarked against Real Madrid's famous training complex. JDT reached the AFC Champions League quarter-finals last season despite operating on a budget of roughly $15 million — a fraction of the $150 million-plus rivals were spending.

"We don't have a limit," Garcia said, referencing the club's internal motto. The destination, he insists, is Malaysia at a FIFA World Cup.

For now though, Sunday's friendly is the focus — and a chance for one of football's great friendships to play out in a 40,000-seat stadium on the other side of the world.

Related on Ni4o: Morgan Rogers Joins Chelsea: A Game-Changer for Xabi Alonso · Gittens Ready to Prove His Worth Under 'World-Class' Alonso