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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Philipp Lahm

Xabi Alonso was moulded by the greats and Leverkusen reflect his education

Xabi Alonso with Jonathan Tah, once an exciting prospect who has re-emerged under the tutelage of Leverkusen’s head coach.
Xabi Alonso with Jonathan Tah, once an exciting prospect who has re-emerged under the tutelage of Leverkusen’s head coach. Photograph: Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen/Getty Images

Football is, fortunately, a game. Victory and defeat are sometimes decided by chance. When the best of the best meet, I reckon it’s 20%. The draw increases the luck factor even more. That’s nice: it makes new winners possible.

It brought Manchester City and Real Madrid together in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the most spectacular game in European football for three years. Once again, it kept all its promises and thrilled with intensity and great goals. In the second leg, Carlo Ancelotti had everyone defend and said it was the only way Real had a chance. The penalty shootout was decided by psychology.

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