REDS FACE REAL FIGHT FOR XABI
SIMON MULLOCK
EXCLUSIVE BY REAL MADRID want to take their former midfielder Xabi Alonso back to the Bernabeu as their coach – and that would deliver a huge blow to the succession plans of both Liverpool and Manchester City.
Alonso (right) is building a reputation as one of the best young managers in football, with his Bayer Leverkusen setting the pace at the top of the Bundesliga, and making a 19-game unbeaten start across all fronts.
Real have earmarked the Spaniard as the ideal candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti next season – but Liverpool and City have also been keeping tabs on Alonso’s progress in Germany as they look to identify long-term successors for Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
Alonso turned down the chance to join
Guardiola’s backroom staff three years ago, but after five seasons at Anfield – during a playing career that also saw him shine for Real Sociedad and Bayern Munich – the Merseysiders would be a huge attraction for the 42-year-old World Cup winner.
Tottenham failed with a bid to lure him back to the Premier League in the summer.
Alonso does not have a clause in his contract that would allow him to force a move to one of his former clubs, and has given Leverkusen assurances that he has no plans to leave midway through a season. His deal has two-and-a-half years to run.
Leverkusen have won 18 and drawn one of their games this term – a 2-2 away at Bayern Munich – and have romped their Europa League group.
KOSTAS TSIMIKAS insists that he is ready for the challenge of trying to keep Andy Robertson on the Anfield sidelines.
Tsimikas, 27, is revelling in the chance handed to him by the shoulder injury Robertson suffered playing for Scotland in October, which has given him an extended run in Liverpool’s team.
The Thessaloniki-born left-back had waited a long time for the opportunity.
And he revealed how the intensity of Jurgen Klopp’s training sessions made it easier for him to step in to make seven starts in the Reds’ last nine matches.
Tsimikas still insists that the scheduled return of the rampaging Robertson next month can only be a positive.
The Greece star said: “I always enjoy playing – even the bad games! I try to enjoy every moment because every game is a big opportunity. Of course, I am really enjoying playing more often now. For me, it is something very big to play for this club and I will give my best.
“But I want Robbo – and Robbo wants me. It is not possible for one player to play all the games. Right now I am really enjoying playing and want to keep focused and hungry for the next games.
“I always feel I can play. I’m not thinking about when Robbo returns or who is going to play.
“I hope all the best for him to come back as strong as before. We will see, no one knows. I just always try to be focused to try to do my job as best as I can.
“It’s important that everybody is fully ready, always. I think every player in the squad wants to play every time, but, as I said, you cannot play all the games.
“That’s why you have very good players on the bench, very hungry for the schedule to play, and to play more games,