San Sebastian was puzzled last summer. Real Sociedad's favourite son, Xabi Alonso, had opted to move not to the bright lights of Real Madrid, nor to the European powerhouse that is Manchester United, but to an apparently ailing Liverpool.
The choice seemed to defy logic but, as his array of passes suggests, Alonso is rarely one for the easy option. The Basque will enjoy something of a Spanish reunion at Anfield this evening, as Deportivo la Coruna visit Merseyside seeking to revive their own stuttering Champions League campaign.
"Coming to Liverpool was always a very attractive project for me, a chance to be part of something special," said Alonso. "I knew it would be a matter of rebuilding - the club had new signings and a new manager in Rafael Benitez - but it is the start of a new future. When you arrive here you are struck by the identity Liverpool Football Club has and the huge history of the place.
"I'm hoping to win titles here over the next few years. It may take time to achieve what we want to, but we are ambitious in the short-term as well. We want to do as well as we can, and to go as far as we can in the Champions League, so beating Deportivo la Coruna will be an important step towards qualifying for the knock-out stage."
The midfielder has become his side's inspiration in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard; his ability to retain possession while prompting attacks makes him the hub around which the team revolves.
He was outstanding in the dismissal of Monaco in the opening group game and, when his own form dipped at Olympiakos last month, Liverpool endured their worst performance of the season. Benitez's side may have been poor at Fulham on Saturday, but they improved to the tune of four goals after the Spaniard sprang from the bench.
He will start tonight aiming to conjure his first win against Deportivo at the eighth time of asking. The Spanish side arrive under pressure. Their improving league form has not been mirrored in Europe, with a solitary point and no goals gleaned to date.
Even Alonso has indulged in some timely mind games. While on international duty with the national squad in Vilnius last week, the Basque took time to discourage the Deportivo players Albert Luque and Joan Capdevila. "They were saying that this might be their last chance to get out of the group, so they needed to win here," said Alonso. "But I warned them it would not be easy. The problem is they could not be more dangerous than they are now."
Deflating their opponents will be half the battle. Benitez watched his former side Valencia rout tonight's visitors 5-1 in a league game last month in la Coruna. He has already shown his Liverpool players the video of Valencia's 3-0 stroll against Deportivo in March. "The players may have changed, but their ideology has not over the last five years," said Benitez. "They are a compact team and try to deny you space, then hit you on the break. We have to be aware of that. But, while I don't want to be sensationalist, we know that if we can beat them then maybe they are out. If we play like we did against Monaco, we will win."
Meanwhile, former Liverpool striker Michael Owen at last looks likely to make his Champions League debut for Real Madrid tonight, ending his frustration after watching from the bench as his galactico team-mates were hammered in Leverkusen and were reborn against Roma at the Bernabeu.
Madrid's coach, Mariano Garcia Remon, yesterday hinted at an important tactical change that would for the first time accommodate all the available galacticos. But Remon was unwilling to confirm whether Owen will start against Dynamo Kiev.
LIVERPOOL (4-4-1-1; probable): Kirkland; Josemi, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise; Finnan, Xabi Alonso, Hamann, Kewell; Luis Garcia; Cisse.
DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA (4-2-3-1; probable): Molina; Manuel Pablo, Cesar, Andrade, Capdevila; Duscher, Mauro Silva; Victor, Valeron, Luque; Pandiani.
Referee: A Frisk (Sweden).
