MADRID – Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso makes an emotional return to Anfield on Tuesday to face his former club, Liverpool, in the Champions League, with his new team in imperious form.
Alonso’s Madrid arrives on Merseyside after a statement victory in El Clásico against Barcelona, a stark contrast to a Liverpool side that has won only two of its last eight games. The Spanish giants have won 13 of their 14 matches this season, with their only defeat a 5-2 derby loss to Atlético Madrid.
The match is a poignant one for Alonso, who was the elegant midfield brain behind Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph. Many at Anfield had hoped he would succeed Jürgen Klopp, but he instead chose to move to the Santiago Bernabéu after a successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso has rapidly imposed his philosophy on the team, forging a new, intense identity. His Madrid side presses aggressively, with no team in Europe registering more ball recoveries in the final third. This represents a significant shift from the more predictable and less strenuous approach under his predecessor, Carlo Ancelotti.
The new coach has also managed his star players adeptly. Kylian Mbappé is in sensational form with 18 goals this season, while Jude Bellingham has been revitalized after a cautious return from shoulder surgery. Alonso even deftly handled a public outburst from Vinicius Junior, with the matter now resolved.
Ahead of the clash, Alonso opted to train at Madrid’s facility instead of at Anfield, joking it was to avoid “200 cameras” spying on his tactics. He now aims to make his homecoming an unhappy one for Liverpool fans and prove his Madrid machine is ready to compete for the highest honors once again.
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