Liverpool2004–05: Champions League victory
Alonso's arrival at Liverpool, along with Luis Garcia from FC Barcelona, marked the beginning of a new era at Anfield. The technical Spaniards were the first signings by new coach Rafael Benítez and he remarked that their emphasis of skill over strength offered something different to the team.Alonso made his Premiership debut for the Merseysiders against Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium on 29 August 2004.[5] Liverpool lost the fixture 1–0 but Alonso was already receiving praise for his passing skills. A Premier League tie against Fulham on 16 October 2004 displayed more of Alonso's talents. Liverpool were losing 2–0 at half-time and Benítez brought on Alonso as a substitute after the break. His arrival revived a deflated Liverpool and the game finished 4–2 to the Merseyside team. Furthermore, Alonso scored from a free kick to bring Liverpool ahead of the opposition — his first goal for the team.
Alonso continued to provide important goals for the club, scoring his first goal at Anfield against Arsenal in a 2–1 victory.[18] Alonso was elated at the achievement and felt he was settling in well in England.[19] The Arsenal game marked the return of Steven Gerrard from injury but Alonso's midfield partnership with the team captain came to a halt when Alonso suffered his first setback at Liverpool. Alonso's ankle was broken following a tackle from Frank Lampard in Liverpool's 1-0 defeat against Chelsea on New Year's Day 2005 and the Spaniard was ruled out of action for three months.
He made his return to the first team in the second leg of the Champions League quarter final against Juventus. In the absence of skipper Steven Gerrard through injury, Alonso played for the full 90 minutes, as Liverpool gained an improbable 0–0 draw in Italy to defeat the eventual Italian Champions on aggregate. Kevin McCarra of The Guardian paid testament to Alonso's skill and dedication to the game, saying: "This marvellously accomplished footballer testified in the Stadio delle Alpi that technique can overcome a serious physical disadvantage". In the next round against Chelsea, Alonso received a yellow card in a tense and scrappy 0–0 draw at Stamford Bridge, making him suspended for the following fixture. Alonso was distraught that he would miss the game and vehemently contested the referee's decision to no avail.[25][26] Gerrard returned from injury for the second leg, however, and the captain steered his team to a 1–0 win with the help of a Luis García goal, qualifying for the final against A.C. Milan.
Liverpool's fifth place finish in the Premiership left much to be desired but debut season glory still awaited Alonso in the form of the Champions League final. The team fell three goals behind Milan but completed a dramatic second-half comeback. Liverpool trailed 3–2 but were awarded a penalty and it was decided that Alonso would take the spot kick. While Dida, Milan's acclaimed Brazilian goalkeeper, managed to save the penalty Alonso fired the rebound into the roof of the net, bringing the score to 3–3. This forced the game in to extra time but neither team scored and penalties followed. Milan had dominated in the final half hour but they lost their composure in the penalty shootout and Liverpool won 2–3. Alonso was praised for his pivotal influence on the team's comeback and manager Benítez reinforced his importance to the team. This marked a very successful first year in England for Alonso and victory in the final of the biggest European club competition signified a bright future for the 23-year-old.
สมัครสมาชิก:
ส่งความคิดเห็น (Atom)
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น