Inside Chelsea's pre-season tour

[Getty Images] Following another 10-hour private flight to Hong Kong, the Chelsea squad stayed at the Kerry Hotel, where local fans regularly gathered in the hope of securing selfies and autographs. Although the attention remained positive, the level of excitement required heightened security, with some supporters even booking rooms in the same hotel in the hope of encountering players in lifts and public areas. Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill were given the freedom to go shopping after picking up knocks against Spurs, but videos of their outing showed just how well-known they were. They were chased for selfies inside a local mall to highlight how big some of these Premier League stars are in Asia, while many players were presented with hand-crafted gifts to take home from those lucky enough to get close to their heroes. Perhaps more significant from a pre-season perspective was the arrival of new set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, who immediately assumed a prominent role within training sessions. Read more from inside Chelsea's tour With a notepad in hand and junior coaches acting as blockers, the Scot - who had a successful spell at Aston Villa - barked instructions throughout sessions. It marked a stage of the tour during which tactical work increased significantly as Alonso's attacking patterns became more visible. Those ideas were evident despite the 1-0 defeat by Juventus at the world-class Kai Tak Stadium, although a poor pitch made life difficult for both teams in attack. Alonso and a few of his players and staff also played a round of golf on Thursday, others were out for meals, playing a virtual reality game and some went to see the famous Tian Tan Buddha on a scheduled day off. "We have learned a lot in these two weeks, not just on the football side but on the personal side in getting to know each other," Alonso said. Overall, Chelsea faced less-than-ideal conditions during the tour, including extensive travel, sponsor commitments and difficult pitches. They now have two weeks at Cobham to reset, facing Alonso's former club Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 15 August, before visiting Fulham for their opening Premier League fixture on Monday, 24 August. Despite the demands of the summer tour, it was a culture-building exercise for Alonso as he looks to help lift Chelsea's fortunes after their problems last season.