Liverpool star Xabi Alonso stays silent on his future

Jun 10 2008

LIVERPOOL midfielder Xabi Alonso claims he will not think about his future until after Euro 2008.

Alonso has been strongly linked with a summer move to Juventus, but insists he is currently focusing on Spain’s European challenge.

“I know there is interest (from Juventus),” he said. “But right now I’m not going to talk about that because there is enough to think about here with the national team.”

Alonso is one of several English-based players called up by Spain for Euro 2008 and insists recent press accusations that they cannot adapt to their national side’s style of play are well wide of the mark.

“It’s not the first time we have played with the national team, so we must have done something good at some point,” he said.

“When one of us who plays in England has a good game, people won’t say anything.

“Those of us playing in England are just as prepared as those playing in Spain.”

Alonso admits Liverpool’s direct style is totally different to Spain’s passing game, but he feels comfortable in both systems.

“Without a doubt, with Liverpool we use a more direct game and in very few passes try to find the opposition goal, but I don’t feel uncomfortable in a passing side,” he said.

Both Alonso and Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas look set to start on the bench as Spain kick off their campaign against Russia today, but the Liverpool midfielder is ready to help his team in any capacity.

“The manager decides those things, he knows us very well,” he said.

“If I get to play then good, but if not then it’s also fine, and I’ll be ready to come on if needed,” he said.

Spain crashed out in the first round of Euro 2004 in a group also containing Russia and Greece, but Alonso believes history will not repeat itself this time.

“It’s almost the same group, but the group of players has changed quite a lot and hopefully what happened won’t be repeated,” he said. “That would be disappointing.”

And the former Real Sociedad midfielder hopes Spain can go all the way to the final this time around.

“I hope we get to the final, but that’s a long way away and we need to concentrate on the first opponents,” he said.

“We have to win the game against Russia because it’s fundamental that we don’t go into the last game with emergencies like in 2004.

“We need to do our job and not leave it all to the last game.”

Meanwhile Spain coach Luis Aragones has given little away over team selection for his side’s opening game of Euro 2008 against Russia.

Debate in Spain is raging over who out of Xabi Alonso, Ruben de la Red and Marcos Senna should be the one to partner Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez in the holding midfield role.

Villarreal man Senna appears to be winning the majority of the votes in the Spanish press ahead of kick-off, but Spain’s Brazilian-born player insists even he still does not know who will get the nod.

“I won’t be surprised by who gets to start, as the competition in Spain is very deep,” Senna said.

“Competition is good for the group. The three of us (Senna, Alonso, De La Red) are well prepared. There’s some great competition and Luis hasn’t told me I’m going to start, but in this side we can all consider ourselves as starters.”

Aragones would not be drawn on his selection, preferring instead to concentrate on opponents Russia.

“It’s difficult for Spain to come out of a game without having scored, but Russia throw nine men behind he ball,” he said.

However, the Spain coach hinted that both Fernando Torres and David Villa may start up front to break the Russians down, despite the fact that the Valencia forward is nursing a thigh injury which kept him out of the friendly with the United States last week.

“We have Villa and Torres, who are very quick, who have quality and an eye for goal. So it’ll be difficult for us to come out of the game without scoring,” Aragones added.

Spain’s only other injury worry is Andres Iniesta who is still recovering from food poisoning. But Aragones did not appear too concerned about the Barcelona player’s fitness.

He said: “Iniesta is weaker than the others because of his stomach bug, or whatever it was, but that’s logical.”