Ranieri explains Alonso snub
09 Oct 2008 - 11:37:59
Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri has revealed that he ended the club's chase of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso because he was concerned by the player's lack of mobility.
The 26-year-old Spain international was expected to join Juve to help fund the Reds' move for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry, but eventually stayed put as both deals hit the rocks.
Ranieri commented: "He was a player we wanted.
"But he is a player, who even though he is an extraordinary man and a great professional, left me perplexed by the slowness of his movement in midfield.
"In the midfield of Rafa Benitez's Liverpool, where all of them are little soldiers, he finds himself in a fantastic position.
"But in our midfield, he would have found it hard to support the midfield line seeing as Mauro Camoranesi and Pavel Nedved are not players that come back to give support like Liverpool's wingers."