Xabi Alonso personality with Liverpool teammates summed up his impact

Two of 's former teammates during his five-year stint with the club.

Alonso joined from Real Sociedad in 2004 and established himself as one of the best midfielders in England, winning the FA Cup and the Champions League with the Reds, and also reaching another final.

The majority of Liverpool fans believe the club was wrong to sell Alonso in 2009, with , and as well as being a top operator on the pitch, Alonso was also a great teammate off it.

Former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor told : "Xabi wouldn’t jump on a plane back to Spain if he had a day or two off. His outlook was: ‘This is my home now.’

“There had been a bit of a clique with the French players under Gerard Houllier. But the Spanish boys who arrived after Rafa took over made a big effort to get to know everyone and Xabi was crucial to that. You’d watch him in training and think, ‘Wow, what a player he is’, but he was always humble with it.”

Stephen Warnock was similarly complimentary of Alonso, saying: “Xabi was funny and quick-witted, great to have around, an absolute gentleman. He and his wife always made a big effort when the players and their partners got together for social events. They loved being based right in the heart of the city as they wanted to immerse themselves in the culture.

“On the field, he seemed to have a picture in his head of everything going on around him before the ball came to him. We used to call him the ‘spray gun’ because he could spray a pass anywhere.”

Meanwhile, ahead of his Bayer Leverkusen side taking on Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League, Alonso spoke fondly of the city he called home for half a decade. “It feels great to be back after a few years," Alonso said in a pre-match press conference. "It’s always special. You notice the development of the club, the new stands look pretty amazing. For sure tomorrow is a big game against Liverpool in a great moment, it cannot get much better than that. I am not thinking that much [about how he will be received]. I am thinking more about how to prepare for the game. I might think about my memories when I go for a walk or a run tomorrow. I know the city, I love it and I still have friends here, but I don’t have time for tourism.”