In his 15 odd years as a footballer, Xabi Alonso has played at some top clubs, won a lot of trophies and also stood side by side with some of the best in the world.
So to make a lasting impression on him, that player may certainly be something but Luka Modric has achieved that.A The duo ran things back when Alonso was at Real Madrid and many consider the Croatian to be Alonsoas heir with their vision, technique and their ability to be able to dictate any match.
a?In Madrid, I love Luka Modric. I love him as a player and as a person. I really have a thing for him. This is the key element of the Real. As soon as he is no longer on the ground, one notices right away. He knows everything, dribbling, passing, scoring. It runs perfectlya said the Spaniard in an interview.
The Croatian did have a tough time when he first arrived at Los Blancoas, even winning the worst signing of the year. But now after some time and patience and a little help from his team mates, heas formed a sensational partnership with Toni Kroos and is irreplaceable.
Xabi Alonso also had a lot to say about his replacement, Toni Kroos. a?Kroos is class, in the control he gives and through his passing range,a something Xabi did very well during his stint with Real Madrid. He even won the 2012 league title and the Champions league in 2014.
But despite turning 35 in a little over two months, the SpanishAmidfielder has proved to be an essential part of the Bayern Munich side under new manager Carlo Ancelotti. He even managed to score a goal, his first since March 2015 for Bayern, in their 6-0 thrashing of Werder Bremen.
Maybe as a 33 year old when he first arrived at the club, people were definitely shocked and surprised, but like Modric, Alonso soon proved his critics wrong. He proved that even at 33, he still had the ability and skill to dictate play from a deeper position in midfield. Even during his peak with Liverpool, Alonso always preferred to use his head rather than his legs to beat players.
‘We practised passing a lot,’ he toldAGuillemABalague, as he looked back on his formative footballing years with brother Mikel ‘I guess that’s where we learned to be midfielders. Our games were about passing the ball, not so much kicking it at the goal. We played to hit the bar or stones, games that strengthened our precision.’
But then again with age comes limitations, and not even the great Xabi Alonso can overcome that. He once had over 200 touches with the ball during a Bundesliga match against Cologne. Alonso set a record that day, but then against Ingolstadt, Xabi Alonso had less than 90 touches. It just shows, that like Gerrard and Pirlo, Alonso is more than happy to let others do the legAwork for him, leaving space for him to shine when it matters the most.
So with Bayernas Champions league match coming up against Atletico Madrid, a club he knows all too well. Xabi Alonso will be influential and if he can win the Champions League with Bayern, head break another record. He would become only the second player in the world to win that prestigious trophy with 3 different clubs, after the great Clarence Seedorfa
