Just short of 19 years ago, they played over an hour together as Liverpool produced one of the greatest 復帰s of all time on the grandest 行う／開催する／段階 of them all.
Didi Hamann's introduction at half time of the famous 支持する／優勝者s League 刑罰，罰則 shootout 勝利，勝つ over AC Milan in 2005 is probably one of the greatest substitutions of all time. Liverpool went to a 支援する three at 3-0 負かす／撃墜する, the German partnering Xabi Alonso in central midfield,?Steven Gerrard just in 前線.
They can't have known at around 10:30pm 地元の time in Istanbul what would happen over the next couple of hours. The 復帰 that would be made, the 社債s and memories that would remain for life.
'It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy,' Hamann tells Mail Sport in an 排除的 interview on に代わって of?freebets.com, as he discusses Alonso's success with Bayer Leverkusen this season. 'Very, very likeable, an 絶対の team player, 静かな, good sense of humour, just a nice guy.'
It really has been やめる the season for Alonso. Having taken over his 味方する, now one of Europe's best, in the relegation zone of the Bundesliga last season, they are now 星／主役にするing 権利 into the 注目する，もくろむs of an invincible （選挙などの）運動をする.
Xabi Alonso (pictured) was 権利 to 拒絶する Liverpool and Bayern Munich, （人命などを）奪う，主張するs Didi Hamann
Hamann (pictured) 言及／関連d the difficulty of に引き続いて in the footsteps of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and the off-field problems at Bayern Munich that Alonso could have 直面するd
Hamann (second 列／漕ぐ／騒動, middle) and Alonso (up and 権利 of トロフィー) won the 2005 支持する／優勝者s League - 同様に as an FA Cup 肩書を与える - during their two years together at the Merseyside club
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'He （機の）カム to Liverpool as a young kid, 設立する his way within the team, within the club, and 明白に showed a lot of people within a short space of time what a good footballer he was,' Hamann continues.?
'What he's done in Leverkusen now is exceptional. I'm delighted for him, because he's been a brilliant player, but probably an even better person.'
Leverkusen wrapped up their first-ever Bundesliga 肩書を与える last 週末 and, in doing so, became?the first 味方する to stop German 巨大（な）s Bayern Munich winning the 肩書を与える for 12 years.?
They're also in?the 半分-決勝戦 of the Europa League and 激しい favourites to 勝利，勝つ that, and it seems just a 形式順守 that they will 解除する the German Cup too when they 直面する?Kaiserslautern at the end of May.
44 games, 無 敗北・負かすs. That's their 記録，記録的な／記録する so far this （選挙などの）運動をする. Scroll 支援する through the Bundesliga 古記録s and you will find that no team has ever gone a league season unbeaten. Alonso and Co. might be about to make even more history.
They have ridden their luck. A 97th-minute equaliser from Josip Stanisic saved them against Borussia Dortmund at the 週末, and Jeremie Frimpong struck late at the London Stadium last week to 海難救助 a draw against West Ham and make sure they were still yet to fail in any 競争.
'明白に they've got a 抱擁する belief,' Hamann says. 'Even if it goes to 傷害 time and they're behind, they still believe they can get an equaliser or even 勝利，勝つ the game. I think they've done it now seven or eight times, even in 2024, not even counting before the turn of the year.
'They have very good players who stand up when when the going gets 堅い, and I think you need a slice of luck 同様に. But you've got to give it to them. It's end of April now, they're still unbeaten - what an 業績／成就. It's exceptional, it's unbelievable, and it's very hard to put into words when they've done this season so far.'
Alonso's incredible 変形 of Leverkusen, 自然に, lead to a number of Europe's 最高の，を越す clubs taking 利益／興味 in the Spaniard. Liverpool, Bayern Munich and, 潜在的に, Real Madrid all joined the 列.?
However, few would have guessed that the the 42-year-old would ignore their 利益／興味s and, instead,?誓約（する） his 忠義 to Leverkusen.??
Hamann said he is 'delighted' for his former team-mate because he is 'a brilliant player, but probably an even better person'
The 42-year-old Spaniard took Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga 肩書を与える
His 味方する are unbeaten in 44 games this season and are looking to go invincible in the （選挙などの）運動をする
It's another year of learning for him, but now learning at the 最高の，を越す. Learning to defend his 肩書を与える, compete in the 支持する／優勝者s League, how to be the one everyone else is chasing.
'I think he's made the 権利 call,' Hamann says of the man he played と一緒に 38 times at Liverpool, their paths crossing before the German, eight years Alonso's 上級の, left the club for Bolton and then Manchester City. 'He doesn't have to 証明する anything.
'He's been at Bayern Munich, he's been at Liverpool, he's been at Real Madrid. As a player, he's won everything. So it's not like he's not had it. And I think he's made the the only call and the 権利 call, because to follow Jurgen Klopp is not without danger. We've seen what happened at 兵器庫 and Manchester 部隊d when Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson left - I think that it's an impossible 仕事 to follow a 経営者／支配人 who's been as successful and as loved as Klopp.?
'Bayern Munich, there are a lot of problems within the club at the moment, and he's got a brilliant team. He's got the best team in Germany. He's got a chance to 勝利，勝つ the Europa League 同様に, and, if they stay together - which I think they will pretty much, 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 one or two players - I think he's got a 広大な／多数の／重要な chance to go 井戸／弁護士席 in the 支持する／優勝者s League next season.
'He's won the league once. 明白に they want to defend the 肩書を与える. Bayern Munich losing the 肩書を与える, it was obvious it would 結局 happen. But if they lose it to a team that follows it up, that will be a 声明. And also in the 支持する／優勝者s League, I think he's a he's a guy who's 明白に won the 支持する／優勝者s League 多重の times, who's got a 広大な／多数の／重要な 記録，記録的な／記録する there... I think that's a pinnacle for a 経営者／支配人 to 勝利，勝つ the 支持する／優勝者s league, and that's 明白に what he wants to do..
It remains 不明瞭な what's next. Liverpool and Bayern, the two 前線-走者s had he chosen to move this summer, need 経営者／支配人s now. And a lot can can change in football in a year, if it is next summer that the Spaniard looks to jump ship.
Alonso has chosen to stay with Leverkusen - にもかかわらず 利益／興味 どこかよそで - for next season
Having won the league 肩書を与える, they are also hoping to 解除する the German Cup and the Europa League
There are 潜在的に nine games left for Alonso and Leverkusen this season. They 直面する third-place Stuttgart this 週末 in the Bundesliga in 潜在的に their toughest 実験（する） remaining, before the first of two 脚s against Roma in the 半分-決勝戦 of the Europa League in midweek.
A 決定／判定勝ち（する） over where Alonso 長，率いるs next is a long way away. The 利益／興味 in his services, however, may never dwindle, and the 列 will surely be one of the longest a 経営者／支配人 has had in 12 months' time.
'There's a chance he stays for one more season and then it depends what he wants to do,' Hamann 追加するs, his smile as wide as the start of the conversation. 'But with his 関係 to to the big three clubs, I think it's very hard to see him at Manchester 部隊d or Chelsea, for example.
'If he were to go to England, I can only really see him at Liverpool. I'd be surprised if it wasn't any of the three clubs he played for; Madrid, Munich, Liverpool. I think Carlo Ancelotti might leave next season and the other two might have 経営者／支配人s. So, it might put Madrid in the 運動ing seat. But that can change 同様に.'
