THERE were times last summer when Xabi Alonso thought he had pulled on a Liverpool shirt for the final time.
As Rafa Benitez chased the £18m capture of Gareth Barry, the Spanish playmaker’s days at Anfield appeared numbered.
Juventus and Arsenal were linked with the midfielder but the refusal of owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to sanction a deal for Barry meant Alonso stayed put. If the 27-year-old was left feeling unwanted, the backing he received from Reds fans helped restore his spirits.
The saga made him vow to prove his manager wrong and Alonso has looked like a man on a mission this season.
Breaking up attacks and picking out the perfect pass, he has been instrumental in Liverpool’s push for glory at home and abroad. Alonso is in the form of his life and relishing the prospect of playing in another famous European night at Anfield.
“When I was going through those moments of uncertainty a lot of fans supported me,” he said.
“They would say ‘we want you to stay, but at the end of the day, if you don’t, we wish you all the best and we are happy that you have been here’. I am very grateful for that. I am here now and very happy to be here. There is no other club like Liverpool.
“To feel Anfield on your back, the noise, it’s such a huge feeling, especially on the big nights.
“You’re automatically filled with that passionate energy and you always feel much better.
“It’s something Anfield provides more than any other stadium in the world.”
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