Stand: November 6, 2024, 6:16 a.m
Von: Florian Bajus
PressSplit
Xabi Alonso is set to return to Anfield. The head coach of Bayer Leverkusen is still highly regarded in Liverpool today.
Leverkusen – The fourth group game in the Champions League is a very special challenge for Xabi Alonso. The head coach of Bayer Leverkusen visits Liverpool FC.
Alonso became an icon at the Reds
The former midfielder was under contract with the Reds from 2004 to 2009, celebrating, among other things, winning the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup triumph in 2006.
In 210 competitive games for Liverpool, Alonso became a club icon before entering the history books at Real Madrid (2009-2014) and ending his career at FC Bayern (2014-2017). But even though it has been 15 years since his departure, Alonso is still highly valued at Anfield Road.
Why Alonso is still popular in Liverpool
Why is it that the 42-year-old, who was considered Jürgen Klopp's successor in the spring, is still a club icon? “His appearance was and is crucial to his popularity. Xabi is a down-to-earth boy who – like in Germany – quickly learned the language and also adopted the culture. It is precisely this attitude that they really appreciate in the north of England,” said Dietmar Hamann Bild-Zeitung.
Hamann was under contract at Liverpool from 1999 to 2006 and shared the dressing room with Alonso for two years. “Xabi wasn’t the best athlete, but his head was always one or two steps ahead. That's what made him so good. “He was always playable and an absolute team player,” remembers the current TV expert about the former midfield matador.
Alonso: “I have no time for tourism here”
Alonso himself practiced modesty in the run-up to the game. As a player and coach, he was and is not a fan of big words, but rather he convinces with actions.
“Let's wait and see how the fans will receive me, but I'm not in the lead role. We can talk about me after the game,” said Alonso, downplaying the discussions about himself. His ambition is to win at least one point in Liverpool in order to stay on course for the round of 16: “I have no time for tourism here. There will be some friends of mine there, but my focus is just on the game.”
As sports director Simon Rolfes explained in advance, Florian Wirtz can play a key role due to his inconspicuous quality.
