Xabi Alonso takes on Mourinho after transforming Leverkusen

Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso has launched a scathing attack on Jose Mourinho, after the Portuguese coach criticised his defensive tactics during their time together at the Bernabeu. Alonso, who is now in charge at German side Bayer Leverkusen, was responding to comments made by Mourinho in a recent interview in which he claimed that Real Madrid never played attacking football under the Spaniard.

Alonso, who won two La Liga titles and a Champions League trophy during his time at Real Madrid, hit back at Mourinho in an interview with Spanish publication AS, stating that his side were always an attacking force, and that the results speak for themselves. He also praised the style of football he is currently using at Leverkusen, saying that it is a far cry from the defensive play he was forced to adopt under Mourinho.

Alonso’s comments come at a time when Real Madrid are struggling to find their feet under new coach Carlo Ancelotti, with the team currently sitting in seventh place in La Liga. The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder has been credited with transforming Leverkusen into one of the most exciting attacking teams in the Bundesliga, with the team scoring 28 goals in their first 10 league games this season.

Alonso has also won praise for his work in developing young talent at Leverkusen, and his ability to get the best out of players who had previously been seen as struggling or underperforming.

Despite his success at Leverkusen, however, Alonso’s comments suggest that he is still smarting from his time at Real Madrid under Mourinho, and that he remains determined to prove the Portuguese coach wrong. His strong defence of his style of play and his insistence that Real Madrid were always an attacking force suggest that there is still bad blood between the two men, and that Alonso is not prepared to let bygones be bygones.

It remains to be seen whether Mourinho will respond to Alonso’s comments, but for now, the former Real Madrid midfielder can take pride in the success he is enjoying at Leverkusen, and in the knowledge that he is doing things his way, and achieving results on the pitch. For him, that is all that really matters.