Xabi Alonso has apparently copied a tactic regularly used by Jose Mourinho in a bid to get the better of Liverpool in the Champions League.
Madrid will take on the Reds in Europe’s premier competition next week in the fourth round of Champions League matches in what is a repeat of the clash between the two sides at Anfield last season.
On that occasion, Liverpool were comfortable winners, with Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo netting for Arne Slot’s side as they continued their charge to become league phase winners.
This season, though, things have been tougher for the Premier League champions. They have lost six of their last seven matches, including four in a row in the Premier League, and are extremely short on confidence.
The opposite can be said for Madrid. They are flying high in their domestic league, top of the table and already five points clear of arch rivals Barcelona on the back of a feisty El Clasico at the weekend.
Alonso, who played under Mourinho at Madrid throughout his whole reign, is the manager who has overseen their good run so far this term, having taken over from Carlo Ancelotti in the summer. Now, according to Spanish publication Markhe is setting up a special plan for the Liverpool clash.
Xabi Alonso has reportedly copied a tactic from Jose Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid’s clash with Liverpool
Alonso, who played under Mourinho at Real Madrid, has made sweeping changes since taking over from Carlo Ancelotti
His side will take on Arne Slot’s Liverpool team, who have lost six of their last seven matches
The report suggests Alonso has become the first manager of Madrid since Mourinho, who was in charge between 2010 and 2013, to decide not to train at the stadium on the day before the game.
Madrid are one of the few big-name clubs who have still opted to train at stadium prior to the games in recent times, meaning they usually would have done so at Anfield on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s match.
Now, though, Alonso has reportedly opted not to do so, and his team are instead set to prepare at their training ground of Valdebebas at 11am before travelling to Liverpool in the afternoon.
The pre-match press conference will then take place at Anfield, as it has to, meaning only Alonso and one player of the club’s choosing will be present at the stadium.
Alonso has adapted his own style since taking over at Madrid in the summer, having employed mainly a back three at former club Bayer Leverkusen during his time in charge and now changing to a more regular four.
So far, Madrid have nine points out of nine in the Champions League. They have beaten all of Marseille, Kairat and Juventus, while Liverpool have got the better of Atletico Madrid and Frankfurt, but lost against Galatasaray.
