A misstep in the transfer market left Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard devastated
Steven Gerrard reacting in 2009
Steven Gerrard made his feelings clear about the sale of Xabi Alonso(Image: PA)
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Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard formed a fantastic partnership with Xabi Alonso at Anfield as the Reds came within touching distance of the Premier League title in 2008/09. It was, therefore, unsurprising that the captain was left devastated by the subsequent decision to sell Alonso to Real Madrid.
The Spanish midfielder, who is Chelsea's new manager for the upcoming season, spent five years at Anfield, scoring in the 2005 Champions League final and racking up more than 200 appearances in all competitions.
He was well-loved by the fanbase but was ultimately allowed to leave when Real Madrid bid £30million in the summer of 2009. Years later, midfield partner Gerrard would reflect on the exit in his 2015 autobiography.
Reds manager Rafa Benitez had explored replacing the Spaniard with Gareth Barry one year earlier and the boss retained the blame when Alonso did indeed move on.
"It was a disastrous decision to sell Alonso," Gerrard wrote. "I blame Rafa entirely for the loss of Alonso. It was clear Alonso was royalty after our first training session together and Rafa Benitez, who had been so clever to buy him in the first place, was equally stupid to sell him to Real Madrid five years later."
In a separate interview with FourFourTwo, he said of the exit: "Devastated, yeah. Devastated. But there was nothing I could do about it. Xabi said a long time ago that he wanted another chapter in his career and finally he got it and his team-mates and the coaches couldn't stand in his way. We just have to say thanks and move forward without him."
Dirk Kuyt, Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso celebrating for Liverpool
Gerrard and Alonso thrived together in Liverpool's midfield(Image: Getty)
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Whilst Gerrard might have had the benefit of hindsight in 2015, there was also opposition to Alonso's sale at the time. Fans showed their support after a 2008 exit didn't materialise, with Alonso insisting he had never wanted to leave.
Ultimately, the sale marked the beginning of the end for manager Benitez. Alonso's replacement, Alberto Aquilani, struggled to establish himself, with his recovery from an injury sustained at his previous club, Roma, a factor. A seventh-place finish saw the Reds' Champions League-winning boss leave with a relative whimper.
It didn't help that Alonso himself was already showing his former club what they were missing. He spent five years at Real Madrid, winning La Liga and the Champions League, before adding three Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich.
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Gerrard also pointed to comparisons between Alonso and another midfield colleague, Javier Mascherano. While the Argentine had wanted to leave, ultimately joining Barcelona in 2010, it was a different story with his team-mate.
"Xabi Alonso could still be playing for Liverpool, six or seven years later, so why should he have left at the age of 27 when he still had almost three years left on his contract?" the former captain wrote in his autobiography.
"Mascherano wanted to go, and he refused to play on until he got his move. [Fernando] Torres came to me to ask for help to leave, and he downed tools until he went to Chelsea. Xabi Alonso never once said to me he wanted a move."