Xhaka and Alonso preview Leverkusen's UCL game at Liverpool as Alonso names his fqavourite Anfield memories
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00:00Good evening everybody, welcome to our press conference.
00:17Welcome to our midfielder and to our head coach Xavi Alonso, to our midfielder Grani
00:23Xavi, good to see you, how does it feel to be back here in Liverpool first of all?
00:34For sure, it feels great, after a few years to be back here, it's always special, you
00:44notice the development of the club, I see the new Anfield Road stand, it looks pretty
00:50amazing and for sure tomorrow we have a big game coming here, Champions League against
00:55Liverpool, they are in a great moment, it can't get much better than that and we are
01:02looking forward to tomorrow.
01:04What kind of welcome are you personally hoping for from the Anfield crowd?
01:07Let's see, I will wait, I am not thinking that much, I am more thinking about how to
01:13prepare the game but hopefully it will be good, I am positive.
01:18Xavi, obviously there were links with you when Jürgen decided he was going to leave
01:24Liverpool Football Club, I know it wasn't right for you at that point, you made that
01:28point later in the season, but that said, would it ever come into your ambition to come
01:33back here at some point in a coaching capacity?
01:36Let's talk about the game tomorrow, I think it's more interesting than my future, we have
01:42a big one with great players from both sides, from Liverpool, from us as well, Grani being
01:47here so really looking forward to that, that's what's in my head.
01:52It does feel like it's one of those big European ties, you're unbeaten in the Champions League,
01:56Liverpool have a 100% record.
02:00For us it's a big challenge to come here, probably Liverpool at the moment is one of
02:05the best, if not the best teams in Europe, they are showing that in the Champions League,
02:09they are showing that in a very strong Premier League, good squad, good coach, playing at
02:16Anfield, it's a big challenge, but I think all of us are looking forward to it, for sure
02:21the players, and let's see what happens tomorrow.
02:46What do you think will happen tomorrow to be able to survive here?
02:50Good memories, definitely, the coach said it's a big challenge to play here, especially
03:00when you shake the fans a bit and when they get up it's very difficult, but we have a
03:07small game plan, we know exactly what we want and of course we'll try to get through the game.
03:16Kranjic, you've played here before, you know that from the Premier League, one of the
03:28top stars here is Mo Salah, what kind of player is he, how can you defend him on the pitch?
03:33He brings a lot of quality, I remember when he moved to the FC Basel, from there to Chelsea,
03:42Roma and now Liverpool, he's had an incredible career, he's developed physically, he's scored
03:50a lot of goals, he's given a lot of assists, and he's become a legend here in Liverpool.
03:55We need a good day to stop him, and we have to double him because he's very dangerous,
04:02especially on his left foot, and we'll try everything to stop him tomorrow.
04:12Would it be easy for you to divorce your emotions if the crowd is singing your name very loudly,
04:34because it's a very rare thing for a player or a manager to get that?
04:40I will tell you probably the question after the game how I feel, but there will be a moment for
04:45everything, but the main thing is not me, the main thing is the players, how they can
04:54deal with those emotions that you have here in this stadium. We have a good moment,
05:01for us this challenge to play against one of the best in Europe and to come out and feel it's a
05:08great challenge and this desire to show our best football, it's going to be a great energy,
05:15and let's see tomorrow. My side, we can talk after the game.
05:38Yes, it's a pain in the ass, of course, but we need everyone, it's not possible.
05:49It's a pity that Nuri had a small injury in his thigh, hopefully not too far,
05:55not too long, but we need to defend as a team. It's not possible to have one-on-one situations
06:06so far, we need everyone to help. There is a moment to hold together when Liverpool
06:15play at a high level, but we have an idea what to do and we will see, but yes,
06:23if we play together and stand high or a little lower, compact, we can be strong,
06:30but also with the ball, we want to play.
06:35Xabi, there was a little problem with Mate Anteriey, but he is with you?
06:43No, he is not with us, he trained today and he doesn't feel perfect,
06:50so we don't want to take a risk with Mate.
06:59Hi Xabi, Leverkusen have won only one of their last 11 matches in England,
07:04what is it about England that makes it so difficult as a visitor?
07:20Probably the opponents, they are good opponents.
07:24It has to do with the fact that in England there are a lot of good teams.
07:27We played last year against West Ham in the Europa League,
07:32we are coming now, the next step is the Champions League,
07:35we are coming at Anfield against Liverpool,
07:39that in this moment is one of the best, if not the best, as I've said.
07:43So that's why it's tough and we will see tomorrow.
07:50Hi, I've actually got one question for each of you.
07:52Granit, you've been here quite a few times when it's been a fantastic atmosphere
07:57and perhaps some of the games haven't quite gone your way, sorry to remind you,
08:00but do you think that experience will help you
08:03with going into this Anfield atmosphere which could be massive again tomorrow?
08:10I think so, yes, of course.
08:12If I have to share with the teammates, to explain to them
08:16what's going on here when you are on the pitch, I will,
08:19but in the end everyone has their own feeling.
08:22As I said, I have good memories but also bad memories here in this stadium.
08:27But tomorrow is a new challenge, a new game in the Champions League
08:31against a very good team and I'm looking forward to that.
08:36And for Xabi, your teams have been known for being quite fluid when it comes to formation.
08:40Normally you have a back three, but away in Brest you went with a back four.
08:45Now, I suspect you're not going to tell me which one you're going to do tomorrow,
08:48but what comes into the consideration when you're making those decisions?
08:51Is it more about the form of fitness of your own team
08:54or maybe the strengths and weaknesses of the opponents?
08:57No, mainly our team, our players, what we need for the game.
09:01And after we have a wide squad and all the players are on the boat,
09:09they feel that they can be part of it.
09:10They need to feel that they have to be ready for any game
09:13and depending on the moment or the tactical approach that we will have,
09:20we choose, we work and we try to prepare things,
09:24but always with the same principles.
09:28It doesn't matter if the system after the game is fluid.
09:32You have to have movement, you need to understand the moments as well
09:36because you can prepare a great...
09:39You can play 70 great minutes, but in 20 minutes it's gone.
09:44So, you need to prepare mentally, emotionally,
09:49because that might happen and we need to be ready for that.
09:54Any more questions?
09:55Yeah, Stefan Pollock, in the back.
10:08I don't have a new question, but I do have a question.
10:12You have already been asked about your memories of the time here in Liverpool.
10:18Are you going to refresh them in any way?
10:21Maybe go to a place that was important to you at the time?
10:25Excuse me, I have...
10:27Where are you going to plan to go to some places which are important to you while you are here?
10:33No, I don't have too much time for that.
10:36Maybe I'll go for a walk tomorrow.
10:39But there is no time for tourism.
10:44I know the city well enough.
10:46I enjoyed it.
10:48I have a few friends, but tomorrow is all about focus, play, play and play.
10:55Any more questions?
11:03Hi, Javi.
11:05Similar question to over there.
11:07I just wondered if you could name your best memory from your time back in Liverpool, back in the day.
11:13Well, I'm not going to be very original, I guess.
11:17I think that even after almost 20 years,
11:24they remind me for 40 years,
11:30they remind me for that...
11:33Well, me, no.
11:35Us, for that night, for that miracle.
11:38And for sure, that was the beginning of something great that we started that year in 2005.
11:46What we did against Milan was fantastic memories.
11:52I talk a little bit, but not too much.
11:56I like to talk more about our thing now, but yeah, for sure, Istanbul.
12:01It's an iconic moment for me.
12:08Javi, sorry for going on about last year and the Liverpool job,
12:12but was it ever a serious option for you, maybe replacing Jurgen Klopp,
12:17or was it always 100 per cent on winning the title with Leverkusen?
12:20No, at that time I was focused.
12:23I had a big thing, and we had the players and me, and we were really, really focused on that.
12:30Ronald Ilverha, yes.
12:33Could you pass the microphone to the...
12:35Thanks.
12:41Javi, since Jurgen Klopp is no longer the coach here,
12:44has something changed in Liverpool, also in terms of playing?
12:46Arne Slott has a different style of football.
12:49What kind of football do you see there exactly?
12:51I've seen a lot of things, a lot of concepts from Jurgen,
12:55but I see that everyone...
12:57I know him, I've followed him in Feyenoord,
13:01and he has his concept, his style, his structure,
13:07but also the normal intensity of Liverpool.
13:11Fast players, intense, good with the ball.
13:15They have a good mix, and that's why they're top in the Champions League, top in the Premier League.
13:22In all concepts, they're very strong,
13:26and there's a good process, and the coach has done very well in the last three months.
13:34So yes, the team is very, very strong right now.
13:38They have a lot of options.
13:40We know Gakpo, Luiz Dias, Zimikas, Robertson, Curtis Jones, Soboslai, McAllister.
13:48They have a lot of options.
13:50Jo Gomez, Konaté, so we'll see.
13:53We have our ideas, our plans,
13:55and tomorrow we have 19 minutes to play and enjoy the competitive mentality.
14:09Granit, the 0-0 win against Stuttgart on Friday was perhaps the best game of the season for many of you.
14:19How confident are you that you'll be able to play in the same flow as you did at the start of the last season?
14:24Yes, of course the coach spoke about the game today.
14:29Of course it's annoying that we didn't win the game.
14:33In my opinion, it was the best game of the season.
14:37We played very intensively, which is exactly what makes us strong.
14:42I think I would be the wrong person to tell you how we will perform tomorrow.
14:49The coach is responsible for that.
14:52But we will definitely be ready, also mentally,
14:56to play against this atmosphere, against this team like Liverpool.
15:01And hopefully we will show a good game tomorrow.
15:11OK, if there's no more questions, thank you guys and see you all tomorrow.