🧐 Does Alonso know Pep’s secrets? Why this CL clash excites more | OneFootball

Real Madrid and Manchester City have been arguably the most successful clubs in Europe in recent years. Both have won national championships, cups, and the big trophy. For this reason alone, the big clash between these two giants in the CL group stage is the top match par excellence. 

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But that's not the only fact that makes the game exciting. On the sidelines, Pep Guardiola for the Sky Blues and Xabi Alonso for the Royals face each other as elite coaches. They know each other well from another time and a different relationship.

📸 Stuart Franklin - 2015 Getty Images

Some may still remember. Just about ten years ago, Pep Guardiola was coaching FC Bayern Munich, where he trained the already somewhat aged Xabi Alonso. However, since Alonso ages like a fine wine and not like milk, the collaboration was a complete success. 

Moreover, Guardiola was one of the main reasons Alonso decided to move to Säbener Straße back then. The Real coach revealed this a few years ago in an interview with 'The Athletic'. "I was so curious and wanted to find out his secrets," the 44-year-old said at the time.

But has Alonso really uncovered Guardiola's secrets? The match will have to show that. Both Real Madrid and Manchester City have played a largely convincing CL season so far and will certainly not give anything away in the upcoming match.

Nonetheless, it will be more than exciting to see if the former student can beat his mentor, or if Guardiola has kept his secret trick 17 under wraps. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Lars Baron - 2016 Getty Images