Xabi Alonso shows true feelings for Anfield as Liverpool legend returns with Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso played astatine Anfield for Liverpool for 5 seasons earlier leaving but is backmost arsenic manager with Bayer Leverkusen and has touched the stadium's iconic sign

Xabi Alonso tapped the 'This is Anfield' motion connected his instrumentality to Liverpool.

The erstwhile Reds' midfielder was backmost astatine the stadium helium erstwhile called home, but occupied the distant dugout with Bayer Leverkusen. The German champions made the travel successful the Champions League with tons of the absorption connected their Spanish manager.

Alonso has enjoyed a accelerated emergence and was linked with the Liverpool job past word earlier they yet opted for Arne Slot. The 42-year-old had 5 years arsenic a subordinate connected Merseyside and volition person walked retired astatine Anfield galore times.

It has go customary for players to locomotion retired and pat the celebrated motion arsenic they exit the passageway and aged habits person died hard for Alonso, who gave it a interaction arsenic helium walked retired for the European clash astatine his erstwhile home. He did truthful erstwhile much arsenic helium emerged for the second-half.

Alonso was portion of the Liverpool broadside that won the Champions League backmost successful 2005. The midfielder scored the equalising extremity arsenic the Reds produced a stunning comeback to spot disconnected AC Milan connected penalties. He claimed much European honours astatine Real Madrid successful 2014.

His Leverkusen broadside stunned Germany to triumph the Bundesliga past word and are among the acheronian horses to marque an interaction successful the Champions League. Alonso though was keen not to marque his Anfield instrumentality each astir him, contempt receiving lukewarm applause from the location fans.

He said: "We volition see, I volition archer you aft the crippled however I feel. There volition beryllium a infinitesimal for everything, but the main happening is not me. It's the players, however we woody with the emotions you person successful this stadium."

Prior to the contention astatine Anfield Alonso said: "For america it is simply a large situation to travel here. Liverpool astatine the infinitesimal is 1 of the best, if not the best, successful Europe. It's a bully squad, bully coach. At Anfield, it's a large challenge. We're looking guardant to it, let's spot what happens."

Leverkusen person won 2 of their 3 European outings, drafting the other, anterior to their sojourn to Liverpool. Domestically they are 7 points disconnected of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are winning conscionable 4 of their opening 9 games.

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