"Soon after Pep Guardiola tempted Xabi Alonso away from Real Madrid to instal him as Bayern Munich's midfield general in August 2014, the Catalan coach admitted that "if I can help a player of mine become a coach, by adding something to his development, I'll be happy. Johan Cruyff and others did that for me, and now it's my obligation to pay it forward.""
"If there's a worse imaginable preparation for facing City in a big Champions League match than winning once in five domestic matches, shipping three daft goals to lowly Olympiacos last time out in this competition, slumping apathetically to defeat against Celta Vigo on Sunday, showing total physical and mental indiscipline in the three red cards Madrid incurred during that defeat,"
Pep Guardiola mentored Xabi Alonso at Bayern after persuading him to leave Real Madrid in August 2014. Alonso learned rapidly and later transformed Bayer Leverkusen before becoming Real Madrid manager. A first-ever Champions League reunion between Guardiola's Manchester City and Alonso's Real Madrid is imminent. Madrid are struggling: one win in five LaLiga matches, conceded three goals to Olympiacos in Europe, suffered an apathetic defeat to Celta Vigo with three red cards, and lost Éder Militão to a muscle injury. Barcelona have overturned a five-point deficit into a four-point lead. Alonso's job security is weakening amid mounting problems.
Read at ESPN.com
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