Xabi Alonso explains what was obvious at Fabinho in Real Madrid training sessions

Posted by

We often forget that Fabinho was at Real Madrid!

The Brazilian only made one appearance for the Spanish in the 2012/13 season, before joining AS Monaco – where he became a household name and eventually earned a switch to Liverpool.

At Madrid, Fabinho was considered a right-back and he actually only developed into an anchorman after moving to France.

Xabi Alonso as at Real Madrid during Fabinho’s tenure and has explained how highly he thought of Liverpool’s Champions League winning midfielder.

“I think that we could have similarities in terms of the position, in terms of how we want to connect with the players around, how he makes the players around him better players, making them play easier and play better,” said the former Red.

“Taking many small, correct decisions is part of being a midfielder and he does it very well.

“He came to Madrid and you could see that technically he was very good, physically he was very good, but he was playing right-back,” Alonso told the official website.

“I think that he can play everywhere because of his understanding of the game and he is able to read what’s going to happen and how he wants to do it, but I think the step he made in Monaco was beautiful.

“Playing that midfield role, he’s able to connect to the close ones, to the farther ones and I really like the way he plays: his understanding of the game, he’s involved in the game, taking the small decisions but ticking in all of the moments and I think that’s the job of a midfielder.”

Fabinho is the latest in a long line of exceptional Liverpool signings under Jurgen Klopp.

Last summer, the German also brought Fab’s Brazil team-mate Alisson to the club – with the goalkeeper Man of the Match in the recent European Cup Final victory.

The year before, we acquired Andy Robertson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and of course, Mo Salah – who’s established himself as one of the best players in the world.

If we nail another window, we’ll be well set to compete on four fronts next season.

We’d like the club to take the domestic cups a little more seriously, but in order to do so, we need more strength in depth.

Make it happen, Liverpool!

More Stories Fabinho Xabi Alonso