#5 30 August 2014 - Schalke 04 vs. Bayern Munich
Alonso was 32 when he joined Bayern Munich from Real Madrid right at the end of the 2014 summer transfer window and there were some who questioned whether he still had the ability to make a significant contribution in a top team.
Pep Guardiola was, however, very happy to have him on board and made it clear that he expected Alonso to play a key role: “We signed him to dominate the game. Once Xabi has the ball, he is the best player.”
And any doubts were swiftly put to bed by a strong performance on Alonso’s debut away to Schalke just a day after signing.
It was a match that showed he still had it. That given the right setup, his intelligence and passing range could still be very valuable qualities. Three years on, with a third consecutive Bundesliga title within reach and other silverware still on offer, it is clear that it was a transfer that worked out very well for both Alonso and Bayern.
