Xabi Alonso has revealed what Pep Guardiola tells his players behind the scenes and what type of manager he is when his teams are battling for trophies.
The Liverpool legend made more than 200 appearances for the Reds and won five trophies including the 2005 Champions League final and FA Cup in 2006 before departing for Real Madrid in 2009 and then moving to Bayern Munich in 2014 to see out the final three years of his glittering career.
During Alonso's time in the Bundesliga, where he won the league three times in a row, he was managed by Guardiola for two seasons and the former midfielder has spoken about how he found the now Manchester City boss.
"Pep was a great motivator, and as a human being he was really intense and passionate," he told Nico Rosberg in his Beyond Victory YouTube series.
"He was a great strategist about the game, about what we had to do to play good football and about the little details he was bang on it.
Liverpool's forgotten win over Barcelona that dawned new era under Jurgen Klopp
"For me, Pep was a great last challenge for me.
"But Rafa [Benitez], [Jose] Mourinho and Pep all have their positives."
Alonso also detailed during his interview carried out by the former Formula 1 world champion that he wishes he could have been managed by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
"I have played so many times against him, I would have loved to have been coached by him," the Anfield great said.
Liverpool and Everton stars back 24-hour social media blackout in stand against racism
"But I am really happy he’s in Liverpool, [he is a] top, top manager and he seems really passionate, because he gets really close to the players, but [is] as well a good thinker of the game."
