Part 3: The best midfielders in the Spanish La Liga
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso has been one of the most consistent performers in the world of football ever since he set foot onto the La Liga, when he was playing for Real Sociedad. He was an overnight fan favourite at the club. His performances, work rate and consistency were admired by the rest of the world. It wasn’t long before Europe’s top teams started pursuing the Spaniards signature.
He was eventually bought to Anfield when he signed a deal with Liverpool. At Liverpool he was expected to eventually work his way into the team, however he did just the opposite. He managed to almost immediately make a name for himself in the squad and the fans seemed to fall in love with him almost immediately.
Alonso was deployed as a holding midfielder at the club where he played behind Steven Gerrard. He would pick up the loose ball, win possession and then launch attacks for Liverpool. It was this direct approach that saw him win applause from footballers everywhere around the world.
The player eventually managed to become the heart and soul for the Liverpool side along with their captain Steven Gerrard. When it was announced that he was going to be sold to Real Madrid, everyone around Anfield felt a strong sense of confusion and disappointment. No one wished to see their favourite player leave the team, but it happened anyway.
Alonso has been nothing short of fantastic this past season for Real Madrid. He has been present for almost every game that the Spanish side have played and has been an integral part of the squad.
Alonso possesses the ability to launch some pin point long passes along with the ability to unleash a thunderbolt from almost anywhere on the field. He is also a solid tackler of the ball and can win back and retain possession with ease. He has also managed to keep Lassana Diarra out of the Madrid squad, since they both play in virtually the same position, this in itself is a huge achievement considering just how good Diarra is. He was also the only player that was capable of filling in the hole left in the Spanish side, after it was discovered that Marcos Senna would not be able to make the trip to South Africa.
Sergio Busquets
Sergio Busquets is a name that ever follower of football has gotten used to saying. Some know it because they love the player other remember it because they hate the player. At the age of twenty two, Busquets has won the love and hate of fans that players don’t manage to achieve over the course of their entire careers.
Busquets was the first choice holding midfielder at Barcelona last season. He was the reason why players like Keita and Yaya Toure were kept out of the Barcelona squad. That in itself is a big feat for the player. He was also a part of Spanish World Cup winning side. Busquets managed to play in every single one of the matches during the tournament.
Most people argue and say that the player isn’t good enough to be on the field with such quality players, however the player definitely possesses something special, because he is time and time again called up to play in the first team for both club and country.
What sets Busquets apart from the rest is his lazy approach to retaining possession. He seems to not be doing anything at all, while doing everything. He wins the ball back on countless occasions and shields it brilliantly, his possession retention has made him one of the best players to have in your side to play as a holding midfilder.
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