Slot lauds 'special' Xabi Alonso ahead of UCL game

Arne Slot has labelled Bayer Leverkusen‘s Xabi Alonso a “special manager” ahead of Liverpool‘s Champions League clash against the German champions on Tuesday.

Alonso’s Leverkusen side went unbeaten in the Bundesliga last season enroute to a first league title in their history. The club also lifted the DFB Pokal last season, with their only loss in all competitions coming against Atalanta in the Europa League final.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder was a frontrunner to succeed Jürgen Klopp at Anfield after the German’s decision to step down at the end of last season before he decided to remain at Leverkusen until the end of the 2024-2025 campaign.

“It’s difficult to say what makes him a special manager if you don’t work with him on a daily basis but he is, that is clear,” Slot told a news conference on Monday.

“Bottom of the league when he took over, didn’t spend much, mainly the same players, and they only lost in the final of the Europa League. What makes him special is hard because I haven’t faced him or worked with him but what might be the situation is he worked with incredible managers in the past and played at the highest levels. So he also knows and understands what players feel at certain moments.

“That all contributes to what a manager he is. The best way to find out what makes him special is to ask the players he has worked with.”

The Leverkusen coach is well known in Liverpool, having played 210 games for the club from 2004 to 2009 when he was central to their success including a Champions League triumph in 2005, but he won’t have time to stroll down memory lane.

“Unfortunately, there is no time for tourism – maybe a little run or walk tomorrow. I know the city very well, I love it but tomorrow I will focus on the game and only the game.”, he said.

“It feels great to be back here after a few years. It’s always special. You notice the development of the club; the new stand looks amazing. Tomorrow is a big game against Liverpool, it cannot get much better than that.”

Alonso acknowledged the challenge his side face against his former club.

“For us it is a big challenge, Liverpool at the moment are one of the best, if not the best, in Europe, they are showing that in the Premier League and Champions League, a good squad, great coach. We’re looking forward to it, let’s see what happens,” Alonso said.

“You can play 70 minutes great and 20 minutes it (the game) is gone, so it is mentally and emotionally we need to be ready.”

Liverpool are top of the Premier League after ten games and go into Tuesday’s clash as joint-leaders on the Champions League table with nine points. Their strong start to the season is even more impressive when considering the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the futures of three of their key performers – Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The trio are out of contract at the end of the season with extensions yet to be agreed. On Sunday, Salah put up a cryptic post on Instagram, saying that “No matter what happens. I will never forget what scoring at Anfield feels like.”

However, Slot said he was unperturbed by the Egyptian’s social media activity.

“I don’t look at Instagram posts of the players, I talk to them. Mo is in a very good place at the moment. He always has been at Liverpool but at the moment as well,” he said.

“I’m hoping he can post one after tomorrow and Saturday again. For me, it is important what he tells me. That’s what matters, not how you guys interpret that post. “

Information from Reuters was used in this story.