Xhaka: “Xabi didn’t have experience but had charisma and character”

Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka talked to DAZN and praised Xabi Alonso, who was his former coach at Bayer Leverkusen.

“He had no experience on the big stages. That is for sure. What he did have was charisma and character. When he entered the locker room and started to speak, everyone was completely focused. Because they listened to him. Because every word he said was true. He didn’t just repeat the words of others. He wasn’t fake. He was authentic. And I think that when a player feels you are authentic, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose. You keep earning their respect. All teams have egos, no doubt, but he didn’t care about big names. He only cares about what he sees on the field. He wants to see you fight. And if you train well, he’ll give you a chance. That is what I admire most about Xabi,” he said.

Alonso has struggled managing Real Madrid’s dressing room and in some instances it looks like he actually lost it. He will now be coaching for his job when Los Blancos face Atlético de Madrid in the Spanish Supercup on January 8th.