After spending five seasons at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Alonso won LaLiga in 2012 and the Copa del Rey twice and the 2014 Champions League.
Real Madrid’s 5-0 thrashing to Barcelona in 2010 stuck in his memory
Xabi Alonso was a Champions League winner at Real Madrid and enjoyed the club’s happy times, but he revealed one point that made him want to pack up and return home. After spending five seasons at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Alonso won LaLiga in 2012 and the Copa del Rey twice and the 2014 Champions League. Still, the 5-0 thrashing to Barcelona back in 2010 at the Camp Nou stuck in his memory. Xavi Hernandez and Pedro Rodriguez gave the Blaugrana two goals to lead 17 minutes before David Villa scored a brace and Jeffren put the icing on the cake in the second half. “We knew at that moment if we were too nice, they were going to kill us,” Alonso said.
Rafa Benitez and Rick Parry came to try and sign Alonso
“The league game at the Camp Nou we lost 5-0, and it was the worst night I have ever lived on the football field. After 20 minutes, I wanted to leave, go home, shower and go home. It was so painful. It gave us a lot of determination. We couldn’t be too nice, or we wouldn’t have beaten them the next season.” Alonso revealed the reason for his decision to turn down Real Madrid for Liverpool back in 2004. “There was real interest from Real Madrid that summer,” Alonso added. “There were negotiations between the clubs, but it took so long. For so long, I said, ‘What’s going on, they want me’? At that point, Liverpool came in with powerful interest. When I felt that, I spoke to former Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez and former chairman Rick Parry came to try and sign me.”
Alonso also recalled how he felt in the memorable UCL final of Liverpool against Milan in 2005
“I saw that real interest, and I felt ‘wow’, it was essential to me. I changed my mind and said ‘no, it must be Liverpool,’ because Rafa convinced me. I knew about the club and the city, but I didn’t know that much. For me, I was like, ‘Xabi; this will be your first new experience’. I went there so open-minded, ready to learn as quickly as possible.” Alonso also recalled how he felt in half an hour in the memorable Champions League final of Liverpool against Milan in 2005 after Italy took a three-way lead in the first 45 minutes. “I was angry with myself, thinking ‘we can’t throw it away so easily, this is a great chance,” Alonso said.
“I was a little embarrassed about what we were doing. More than thinking about others was painful, and it was the first thing I felt. Later, Rafa changed. I thought, ‘Let’s see how it works’. To Hear the boos from the supporters was vital because they didn’t want to kill us, but we thought, ‘Let’s try and give them something to believe’, try to have some hope.”