Alonso: Club and I Decided to Exclude Fernandez, Patience Key to Victory

Xabi Alonso, the manager of Chelsea, confirmed that patience was the key to his team's victory over Luton Town with a score of 2-0 in the second round of the English League Cup.

Alonso stated in an interview with Sky Sports: "We needed to play with patience. Luton deserves credit; they defended with great heart and were solid. It's not easy, so we talked at halftime about the need to be patient and keep going, and we managed to score quickly in the second half, which helped us a lot."

Regarding the quality of the players in Chelsea's squad, the Spanish coach explained: "We want to have a well-rounded team in all aspects, in terms of quality, maturity, and character, with a mix of young players and experienced ones. It is important for young players to receive help in order to develop, and in these cases, the experienced players provide significant support."

He added: "I am happy with the energy and spirit shown by the players, as well as the fans who were amazing. We need them throughout the season. Now we need to get some rest, then we will be back here on Sunday."

Regarding the rumors surrounding Chelsea's potential signing of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Alonso refused to comment, stating: "During the summer, there are many rumors and a lot of talk about players, especially those who are not in my dressing room, so I prefer not to talk about them."

When asked if Martinez is the type of goalkeeper he would like to add to his team, Alonso simply replied: "I prefer to talk about my players."

Regarding Enzo Fernandez's future, who was excluded from the Luton Town match as Manchester City approaches a signing with him: "No one knows. In football, there are always surprises and movements, and we have to be ready. We are patient and prepared; the decision to exclude Enzo was mine and the club's."

Alonso concluded his remarks by discussing the key lessons learned from the match, stating: "Confidence in what we do, patience to score the first goal, and playing at the right tempo. That's what we did today."