Xabi Alonso: "I Don't Grade Myself, Grades Are Given at the End of the Term"

Xabi Alonso expressed his gratitude for the top marks awarded by his close friend Álvaro Arbeloa for his performance since taking charge of Real Madrid. However, he stressed that he hasn't won anything yet and evaluations should be made later. "I don't grade myself, grades are given at the end of the term. But I'm very happy for Álvaro and I return the compliment because he's doing a great job," said the Real Madrid coach on his return to Anfield, a stadium that played a crucial role in his career and where he was happy during the five years he spent defending the Liverpool jersey, which will test Real Madrid on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Champions League.

"It's a classic, a giant of European football, both historically and currently. It's a match that fans love to watch. Both Trent and I have our history in Liverpool. It's always nice to return to a place where you were so loved," Xabi Alonso proclaimed about this reunion with The Kop that both he and the English full-back will face.

"I try not to let emotions overwhelm me because I want to stay focused on the match, ensuring it doesn't change my preparation and connection with the players. I try to distance myself from the emotions of these matches at Anoeta or Anfield to remain more focused on the job," the Basque elaborated on his return to a stadium that taught him many lessons that helped build both his legend as a footballer and his coaching career.

"It influenced me a lot because it had a lot of substance," Xabi Alonso explained about those years under Rafa Benítez. "I learned a lot from Rafa about elite football, how to prepare matches, and it helped me a lot to be here. Those were very good years that helped me a lot as a player but also as a coach," continued the Basque in a press conference where he highlighted that he doesn't have much to explain to his players about handling a venue that is as intense as few others because they know it firsthand.

"Many of them have experienced it, recently for the worse and not so long ago for the better. They already know those moments in the match when the stadium roars and generates positive energy for them. They are players with a lot of experience, who know how to respond in charged environments, and I trust them a lot," argued the Real Madrid coach, who once again left a message for Vinicius regarding the penalty the Brazilian took on Saturday against Valencia. "We decide who the kicker is, in this case, it's Kylian, and then they make the decisions. Tomorrow, Kylian will be first on the list," recalled the Basque, who insisted on closing the disagreement he had with Vinicius following the classic. "For me, it was important that we talked about it on Wednesday, it was well resolved. These are things that can happen, we don't want them to repeat. It was resolved," he added.

He elaborated on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose entry into Liverpool's academy at age 6 coincided with Xabi Alonso's time at Anfield. "He's fine, the other day he didn't play due to the context of the match, but he's available now and can play tomorrow. We need him because he has great quality, and we have to help him, give him what he needs to perform because he's an exceptional player," he said about the Englishman, whom he advised to "enjoy the moment" because "it's nice to return" to Liverpool.

The Real Madrid coach also explained why he decided not to conduct the final training session before the match at the stadium, a common practice in the Champions League, but instead do it at the Valdebebas Sports City before traveling to Liverpool. "I did it in Leverkusen too. It's the way I understand to prepare the match better. We want to prepare the match, and in Valdebebas, we control the environment better. If we train here, we're giving clues to the opponent, and I don't think it's the smartest thing," he argued.

He also spoke about Florian Wirtz, a star he had under his charge at Leverkusen but who hasn't quite taken off with Liverpool. Will the German succeed in England? he was asked. "Surely yes, I have no doubts. It's a big change coming here after so long in Germany. He has to adapt. He has a great personality, he's very competitive. It's happened with many players in the Premier League. I hope it's not tomorrow, but I'm eager for him to start showing his qualities and class," he emphasized.