Xabi Alonso and Jose Mourinho were reunited on Thursday night as opponents on the bench for the first time as managers of Bayer Leverkusen and Roma, with the two sharing an emotional hug at the beginning of the game. The former is on the way to fulfilling Mourinho’s prediction that he would become a great coach, made when the Basque was working under him as a player.
Mourinho y Xabi Alonso.
Xabi Alonso y Mourinho.🤝 El reencuentro. #UEL #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/PFP5kbTJqK
— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) May 11, 2023
Alonso was present for all of Mourinho’s four years at Real Madrid, and the two would have enjoyed a good relationship. Marca have recalled an old interview with Mourinho from 2010, when the Portuguese compared Alonso to one of the best managers in the world.
“He has the quality that a ‘metronome’ should have. I’m sure that when he hangs up his boots he will be a great coach if he wants to. He reminds me of Pep Guardiola when I had him as a player. He was already a coach on the pitch.”
Mourinho took the advantage in the first leg of the semi-final, with youngster Edoardo Bove scoring the only goal of the game. Alonso is looking for his first trophy of his career, having taken Leverkusen from the bottom of the table in the Bundesliga to sixth-place.
Jose Mourinho is always right when he speaks of any player being of a great future ahead of him.
My Morinho, My Club
I love jose