The Spaniard was third choice to Ben Chilwell and Emerson Palmieri in the first half of the 20-21 campaign, when Frank Lampard was still manager.
Lampard’s sacking and Tuchel’s arrival marked a turnaround for Alonso, who played a lot more and eventually helped the team win the Champions League.
“This season I didn’t play as much as I wanted,” the defender told Chelsea TV.
“But when Thomas came, I had my chances and played some good games.
“I was happy to be back helping the team on the pitch.
“The hardest part is to be training every day, doing good in training, keeping fit, and seeing you don’t get a lot of minutes. It’s tough.
“But [I’m] happy things change after a while, and that’s what keeps [me going] during the tough times.”