NewsXabi Alonso: I love it when Jürgen calls Liverpool 'mentality monsters'
Xabi Alonso has detailed his admiration for Jürgen Klopp ahead of the Champions League final.
A legend at both Liverpool and Real Madrid, Alonso admits he is in something of a win-win situation prior to two of his former clubs meeting in Paris on Saturday evening.
The iconic former playmaker, who lifted the European Cup with the Reds and Real, is now head coach at Real Sociedad B.
And he has spoken of the esteem in which he holds Klopp and his Liverpool team prior to the match at Stade de France.
“Jürgen, I have played many times against him,” Alonso told BT Sport.
“He is intense, he is very passionate and I think that one of his best qualities is that he is able to get the best from his players and he is able for them to commit in a very generous way and create proper teams.
“Each manager, I think they have their own way, their own book. Some managers, they do it on a tactical way, on a very analytical way. There are others that like to create more of that connection, to give that freedom, but you need to know the players.
“You need to be able to give them the right recipe for them to show their best level. That’s the beauty - you don’t have just one way, you have many different ways and Carlo [Ancelotti] is different to Jürgen, Jürgen is different to Pep [Guardiola], Pep is different to Thomas Tuchel, to Xavi, so they are all different.
“I love when Jürgen says that they are ‘mentality monsters’ because to do what they are doing, it is not easy. It’s not just this year, it’s what they have been doing for the last few years and they have that mentality.
“But, another thing is the final. The final, it is a big one and when you need to show that mentality because Madrid, they are other mentality monsters so it’s a big, big clash that we are going to have. Enjoy it!
“I was in Kyiv a few years ago and it was great to enjoy with two of my teams. It’s not all about the final, it’s also about reaching the final and enjoying it with the crowd. I was there with friends from Madrid and friends from Liverpool and I am kind of in the middle of both teams, so I will win whatever happens!
“[They are] both great teams, they both deserve [to win] so I will feel for one not to get it. But whatever happens, Madrid will win and Liverpool will win in the future. We will see. It’s the Champions League final so just enjoy it.”