Xabi Alonso has admitted he is looking forward to a return to the Premier League, confirming his links with his former team and leaving the door open to a possible return to Liverpool. The former Reds midfielder has found himself under intense scrutiny at Real Madrid, just seven months after taking charge in the Spanish capital. His status could become an important topic if Los Blancos lose to Manchester City in Wednesday’s showdown at the Bernabéu.
Real Madrid have secured just two wins in their last six games in all competitions, suffering a shock home defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday, but Alonso has struggled to gain the respect of a powerful dressing room. Alonso is already fighting to keep his place at Real Madrid as veteran players question his methods. During the pre-match media briefing before the game against City, he faced a barrage of questions about the club’s current problems.
Alonso left Liverpool as a player in 2009, but ultimately chose to remain at Bayer Leverkusen, although he was heavily linked with the managerial job when Jurgen Klopp retires in 2024.
Despite this, Alonso has admitted that he is interested in running the Premier League in the future, with Arne Slott also under observation after a disappointing period.
“Of course I have ties to my former club, but for now this is where I belong,” Alonso said. “We don’t know what will happen in the future.”
Alonso was also asked about Mohamed Salah’s bombshell interview after Liverpool’s match against Leeds United on Saturday night, with the Egyptian claiming the club had “thrown him under the bus” and hinted he could leave in January.
Salah has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad for their upcoming game against Inter Milan, but Alonso remained mum when asked about the matter.
“This decision was taken at Liverpool and we certainly don’t know many details of what’s going on. There’s no need to say anything about that,” he declared.
These questions may have given Alonso some relief from persistent frustration about his future, his hierarchy and his relationship with the team.
Asked if he felt supported by his players, Alonso answered most frankly: “Yes.”
“Communication is constant, we have unity, we are all united on this issue and we have good relations with them,” he said of his conversations with Real Madrid’s top authority Florentino Pérez and the board.
