"He has a very clear idea and a concept of what he wants from football," warns
Simeone
who will shake hands with him tonight at the Metropolitano before a duel without a net for both.
Xabi Alonso
(Tolosa, 1981) crawls
in his first professional experience on a bench, although he always seemed predestined.
The son of
Periko Alonso
, who drank during his 17-year career from unbeatable sources -from his debut with
Javier Clemente
to his retirement at Bayern with
Carlo Ancelotti
, obviously passing through
Rafa Benítez, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Luis Aragonés or Vicente forest
-, has opted for the pause and the alternative path, even surprising.
A few weeks ago he accepted the proposal from Bayer Leverkusen that today challenges Atlético;
before he had wanted to start at the base.
It was in the infantile A of Real Madrid where the San Sebastian gave his first lessons.
A mutual apprenticeship in Valdebebas after obtaining the title of coach along with
Xavi, Raúl or Víctor Valdés
, to later undertake another small jump, such as controlled explosions, to Sanse, the Real Sociedad subsidiary.
And that there was never a lack of rumors or more ambitious proposals.
Three years in Zubieta, a historic promotion to Segunda and a capicula roadmap after relegating last year: 34 wins, 22 draws and 34 losses.
“He has undoubtedly left something very strong in the people in Germany.
It is seen that he has transmitted to his team what he did in Real Sociedad B, ”Simeone commented on Xabi's German jump, who before accepting the proposal from
Fernando Carro
, the CEO of Leverkusen, already sounded for the Bundesliga.
Bild
took for granted the signing of him by Borussia Monchengladbach.
It's not by chance.
Xabi left a mark and dominates the language.
But the challenge of replacing
Gerardo Seoane
is not proving easy.
Mourinho and Guardiola
He grabbed Bayer with five points in eight games, eliminated by a third in the DFB Cup and reeling in the Champions League, where he had only been able to defeat Atlético (2-0).
"We need time," he pronounced upon his arrival and, after the first bad results (another defeat in the Champions League and a landslide against Eintracht), he appealed for calm: "The head is everything.
When the head is cool, the legs will be too.
The draw against Wolfsburg at the weekend hardly relieves them of escaping the relegation places in the Bundesliga.
It is still not easy to recognize Xabi's teams in terms of football.
The same coaching staff that accompanied him at Real Sociedad B has been brought to the Bay Arena, with
Sebas Parrilla
from Madrid as second.
“He has enormous strength.
He shows in his way of directing from the band, but above all in each training session », praised
Simon Rolfes
, the young sports director of Bayer.
Maybe it's a mix of all your teachers.
From that initiation with John Benjamin Toshack, who brought him back from Blas Ziarreta
's Eibar
, to his triumphant stage at Benítez's Liverpool.
He knows the Premier, the League and the Bundesliga thoroughly, another point in his favor.
In the Real Madrid dressing room, where he was first under
Pellegrini 's orders
, stood out for being one of Mourinho's Praetorians at the time of the greatest rivalry with Barça, although he later connected with Guardiola, who signed him for Bayern Munich.
There he hung up his boots with Ancelotti, with whom he had also met at the Bernabéu, where he is very well seen in his noble zone, a clear future.
«If at the time I had had to bet on a player who was going to be a coach, it would have been Xabi, without a doubt.
One who has played in midfield has more advantage on the bench... », Carletto praised him.
«In what interests me, which is football, Mourinho and Guardiola are similar.
Workers, perfectionists and with a code.
They are the best coaches I have ever had”, he confessed in an interview in 2015 in Líbero.
“They convey great respect and admiration to me.
But before all that, Xabi has to solve the labyrinth in which Bayer is stuck.
A defeat tonight means mathematical elimination for the Germans, even without the possibility of playing in the Europa League.
However, a win against Simeone's side gives it some life, provided Porto do not beat Club Brugge.
Atlético also urgently need a win, otherwise they could even be eliminated before traveling to Portugal next week.
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