Xabi Alonso, Liverpool legend
Xabi Alonso announced last month that he will be retiring at the end of the season, thereby drawing the curtain on a glittering and illustrious career, which has seen him win trophies in England, Spain and Germany.
Not to mention his success on the international front: he won 2 European Championships and the World Cup with Spain.
Now regarded as one of the greatest midfield passers of his generation, Alonso was a relatively unknown quantity when he signed for Liverpool as a fresh-faced 22-year-old – but Arsenal could have had him had Wenger not been so miserly.
He’s always said that his time in Liverpool made him as a player, and he didn’t get off to a bad start, winning the Champions League in his first season at the club.
He formed a brilliant midfield partnership with Steven Gerrard during his five years at the club, and has gone down as a club legend in Kopites’ eyes.
Fell out with Benitez over birth of son
But his exit from the club left a bit of a shadow on his Liverpool career, as he fell out with manager Rafa Benitez.
There’s always been lots of speculation and rumour about his exit, but we’ve never really got to the core issue – until now.
Speaking to Spanish paper El Pais today, Alonso reveals that he fell out with Benitez due to a disagreement over missing action due to the birth of his son:
“It was for the Champions League quarter-final squad against Inter,”We were going into labour, and I told Rafa that I could not go. I would go when everything was fine.
“Take a plane and meet them there. He didn’t accept it. I had to make a decision and I decided to be with my family.
It wasn’t easy, my job isn’t a normal job and it was not an ordinary game, however I never have any regrets.
“If I hadn’t have done it then I wouldn’t have been present for the labour. By the way, we won 0-1 with a goal from [Fernando] Torres.”
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