Jose Mourinho predicted Xabi Alonso would become a top coach several years ago but he may not have envisaged his former player standing in his way so soon.
In 2019 the now Roma boss named the current Bayer Leverkusen gaffer as the former player he expected to make it in the dugout. Now they meet in a Europa League semi-final that promises to deliver a clash of contrasting styles.
Having managed Alonso between 2010 and 2013 at Real Madrid, the veteran gaffer was impressed by the former midfielder’s knowledge and vision. Yet, as Mourinho pointed out, Alonso has benefited from playing in teams marshalled by several of the game’s sharpest minds.
"I would say Xabi Alonso," Mourinho told a Top Eleven conference in 2019. "He grew up with a father who was a player and a manager. Then he became a player; of course much better than I was.
"Then he became a player, a top player, his position on the pitch and his knowledge of the game [was] very high. He was coached by [Pep] Guardiola at Bayern, by myself at Real Madrid, by [Carlo] Ancelotti at Real Madrid, by [Rafael] Benitez at Liverpool. I think if you put all of this together, I think Xabi has the conditions to be a very good coach."
These remain early days but so far so good for the ex-Liverpool star and childhood friend of Arsenal ’s Mikel Arteta.
He inherited a mess at the beginning of last October with Leverkusen languishing in the Bundesliga relegation places. But the transformation was near instant and alongside European progress only Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have won more points than their 43.
It means they are looking good to secure a place in this competition next season but first he will look to deliver a trophy to the nearly men known by rivals as Neverkusen - 21 years on from their defeat in the Champions League final to Real, during a spell where they finished second in the Bundesliga four times in five years.
Mourinho, meanwhile, has spent this week making light of links to him joining Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. “If they called, they didn’t find me. I’ve never spoken to them,” he said.
The rumour and this tie arrives after a run of four without a win in Serie A to severely diminish their chances of reaching the Champions League via the domestic route. Mourinho has also not been shy of criticising his star players, notably stressing a lack of “generals” in the ranks and describing Nemanja Matic as the squad’s only leader.
That will not have been music to the ears of experienced campaigners such as top scorer Paulo Dybala, former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum or even ex-Man United centre half Chris Smalling - though none are known as the most vocal operators.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, are full of the joys of youth. The return of Florian Wirtz, a prodigious attacking midfielder who missed nine months because of a ruptured cruciate ligament, has been a huge boost but the 20-year-old is accompanied by highly-rated forwards Jeremie Frimpong, 22, and Moussa Diaby, 23, with Chelsea loanee Callum Hudson-Odoi quickly falling out of favour.
Alonso’s side will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home but for that to matter first they must navigate one of the trickiest away trips in Europe. Roma have lost just one of their past 25 at the Olimpico in UEFA competition. A loss right now could lead to a Mourinho eruption and a triumph for a man he played no small part in mentoring.
