Xabi Alonso revealed what impresses him so much about Liverpool after his Bayer Leverkusen side were thrashed 4-0 at Anfield in the Uefa Champions League.
Luis Diaz became just the second Colombian to score a hat-trick in the competition while Cody Gakpo also got on the scoresheet as the Reds went top of the new format’s league table with four wins out of four.
It was a bracing defeat for the German side, who lost just once all last season, but Alonso acknowledged that they were up against a “top team”.
“I think that in the first half, we were pretty good,” he told Prime Sport. “Second half, we were not so good and we weren’t able to keep the ball well or find the positions.
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“Our intensity in the defence got lower and they weren’t squeezing much. The second goal was hard for us. The result is painful, the performance is more painful.
“It can happen that you come to Anfield and lose. To lose 4-0 is not nice. They are a top, top team and they punished us. It was a pity we couldn’t hold 1-0 for 15 to 20 minutes. They did it against Brighton, they did it against us.
“We were ready to come here and give our best. We did okay for some part but the game changed in 20 minutes. Liverpool are strong. We lacked some power and consistency. Defeat, accept it, congratulate Liverpool and move on.”
Alonso added that he thinks Liverpool are a well balanced team with a good defensive structure and work ethic under new manager Arne Slot.
“It’s early to tell but I can see that Liverpool have a very good balance, a very complete team,” he said.
“They work the 11 players and they have the power to hold a clean sheet which is important in the Champions League. In the Premier League, let’s see. It’s early to tell but it’s looking good.”
The Spaniard enjoyed the warm welcome he received at the ground he played at for five years in the noughties during his playing career, even if the result was not the one he wanted.
“I will try to separate the game and the pain from the result to the feelings of coming back and having love. I’m really thankful to have that reception.”
