Xabi Alonso vows to celebrate Chelsea goals at Anfield amid Liverpool return
Xabi Alonso has said he will 'celebrate, for sure' if Chelsea score against Liverpool at Anfield tonight, but insisted his bond with his former club remains intact.
Alonso leads Chelsea into a Carabao Cup last-16 tie on Merseyside, his first trip back to Anfield as Blues manager. It is the third club he has taken there in as many seasons, with the Spaniard beaten on each previous visit.
In November 2024, his Bayer Leverkusen side were beaten 4-0 by Arne Slot's Liverpool in the Champions League league phase. A year later he returned with Real Madrid at the same stage and lost again, with Alexis Mac Allister's second-half header deciding the game.
As a player, Alonso spent five years at Anfield between 2004 and 2009, making 210 appearances and winning the Champions League in his first season and the FA Cup in his second.
There were many Liverpool fans who felt Alonso was destined to become the club's head coach. Alonso was heavily linked with the position after Jurgen Klopp's exit in 2024, but opted to remain at Bayer Leverkusen for a further season, having led the German side to an unbeaten Bundesliga title.
Alonso ultimately opted for Real Madrid when leaving Germany, but was linked again with Anfield earlier this year after being sacked at the Bernabeu. As Arne Slot's reign came to its conclusion, the 44-year-old was named as a leading candidate to replace him. Instead, he took the Chelsea job.
It remains to be seen how Alonso is greeted this evening. There has been a warm welcome for the former midfielder on past visits, but his appointment at a major domestic rival complicates the relationship.
Another sub-plot is the presence of Andoni Iraola in the home dugout, whose history with Alonso dates back to their childhoods in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa.
Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Alonso insisted his focus is on success with his current side.
"I need to support my team. I need to support my club. I fight for my club, and if we score, I will celebrate, for sure, but with respect for the opponent because my bond with Liverpool is there. But I am in a different role now."
Alonso added that his winless record at Liverpool as a manager would have no bearing on tonight's tie.
“It’s a different game, different competition, different club, with players that have played at Anfield many times,” he said.
“They know what we are expecting. It's a cup game, and there can be special moments. Some things are different in this kind of game, so I don't compare them.”
