Xabi Alonso is back at Anfield for the first time as a football coach since his player transfer from Liverpool Football Club to Real Madrid in 2009.
Liverpool will face Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso’s Bundesliga-winning team, in the Champions League, having won all three of their opening European matches.
In contrast, Leverkusen have some catching up to do in the group stage, having dropped points in two of their three fixtures.
Xabi Alonso makes his highly anticipated return to Anfield
It was a memorable sight to see Liverpool’s former Champions League-winning midfielder back at Anfield for a European match!
The current Bayer Leverkusen manager was seen touching the iconic “This Is Anfield” sign as he walked onto the pitch before the 8pm kick-off on Tuesday night.
Amazon Prime captured the moment as the Spanish coach received a warm welcome from the crowd at Anfield.
Xabi Alonso has prepared his Leverkusen players for the Anfield atmosphere with a focus on the football rather than the legendary stadium’s emotional intensity. Speaking to Amazon Prime, the former Bayern Munich midfielder explained that he hadn’t emphasized the significance of Anfield’s atmosphere too much, instead prioritizing the game itself and their approach to the opponent.
“We need to prepare for the game like any other, focusing more on the opponent,” the 42-year-old said. “Of course, there will be a moment when Anfield gets intense, and we’ll need a plan for that. Let’s hope that moment doesn’t come. But overall, it’s about sticking to our football, our ideas, and being well-prepared.”
He acknowledged Liverpool’s strength, noting, “We’re playing against a team that is probably the best in Europe right now, as they’re showing in both the Champions League and Premier League. It’s very demanding, but for us, it’s a great game.”
