Xabi Alonso and Jurgen Klopp to meet in the Europa League Final

When it was announced that Jurgen Klopp's reign at Liverpool would conclude by the of this season, many football fans and pundits confessed they felt bad about the news.

Klopp had rejuvenated a comatose Liverpool team, winning six trophies in eight seasons, including the coveted Premier League title that had eluded the club for 30 years. Even more than his on-field success, the German proved his value at Anfield by the way he made even neutrals fall in love with Liverpool. His infectious energy and charisma helped unite the Liverpool fanbase, drawing many fans to the club, including die-hard Arsenal fans like Ian Wright, who confessed to being a closet Liverpool fan because of Klopp.

But the news of Klopp's imminent departure was mourned briefly, and football fans starved for the next big thing to pour their attention and emotion into moved on to the next hot topic, obsessing themselves with who would succeed Klopp at Liverpool. 

Several names have been bandied about as potential successors. Xabi Alonso, Roberto De Zerbi, Simon Inzaghi, Ruben Almiron, Ange Postecolgo, Klopp's trusted assistant Pepijn Lijnders, and even club legend Steven Gerrard. 

But of all these names, one name excites Liverpool fans, and they have almost unanimously agreed they want to see him as the next gaffer–Xabi Alonso.

Why Alonso?

The Spaniard is a bonafide Liverpool legend. He spent six seasons on Merseyside and won the 2005 Champions League and 2006 FA Cup trophies. Liverpool fans consider him the perfect replacement for Klopp because he understands the club and the city and will not struggle to integrate into the football culture in Merseyside. 

This is important because even if Klopp was tactically good, his greatest asset wasn't his tactical intelligence but his ability to connect with the fans and his perfect understanding of what it meant to be a Liverpool coach. The Kop see the German manager as one of them, the same way they regarded Alonso during his playing days and still regard him even now.  

That said, another quality that gives Alonso the edge in the race for the Liverpool job is his tactical acumen. The 42-year-old is arguably one of the best coaches in the world, and top European clubs are circling for his services. He took Bayer Leverkusen from being relegation contenders to a top-six finish last season, resulting in the club qualifying for the Europa League. 

He has done even better this season, as his team is at the top of the Bundesliga table and is currently on an incredible unbeaten run in all competitions. This means Leverkusen are still in the Europa League and among the favourites to win the title. They are one of the few teams that have made Europa League tickets a valuable assest this season, due to their entertainment value. 

According to football data crunchers Opta, Alonso's side is the second favourite to win the Europa League this season with a 23.5% chance. In contrast, Liverpool is the outright favourite, with a 34.5% chance. 

The Dream Draw

With Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen competing in the Europa League, fans of the two clubs began to romanticise the possibility of both sides meeting at some point in the tournament. In fact, since Alonso emerged as the favourite to become the next manager at Anfield, many Liverpool fans have become Leverkusen fans, hoping that Alonso's side will stay in the competition so that both sides will meet at some point in the season. 

But the dream meeting never materialised in the knockout stage as Leverkusen were drawn against Qarabag while Liverpool got Sparta Praha. Both sides conquered their opponents in the Round of 16, and there was hope that the quarterfinal draw would pit them against each other. But again, Klopp avoided Alonso, with Liverpool getting drawn against Atalanta while Leverkusen was drawn against West Ham. However, the draw has provided the chance for both sides to meet in the final. 

The Path to the Klopp vs Alonso Matchup

Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen can meet in the final in Dublin if they win all their remaining Europa League two-legged ties, beginning with the already-determined games against Atalanta and West Ham. According to Opta, Liverpool has a 56.% chance of achieving this, while Leverkusen has a 44.9% chance of overcoming their quarterfinal and semifinal opponents over two legs.

But can they overcome these obstacles? 

We look at the games Liverpool and Leverkusen have to win to meet in the final and their path and chances of achieving this.

Liverpool vs Atalanta 

Liverpool's first goal is to beat Serie A side Atalanta over two legs in the quarterfinal. Both sides are familiar foes, having met in the Champions League in 2020.

Liverpool emerged winners over two legs in that fixture, with their 5-0 win at the Gewiss Stadium in the first leg making their 2-0 loss at Anfield irrelevant over the two legs. 

With the first leg of this tie at Anfield, Liverpool has the advantage. The Reds have been imperious on this ground, winning 20 of the 23 games they have played at home this season (D3). 

They are even more dangerous in Europe, where they have won all their home games this season (W4), scoring 17 times in those games. They should beat able to Atalanta, even though it may not be an easy game. 

Bayer Leverkusen vs West Ham

Leverkusen will have to beat last season's Europa Conference League winners, West Ham, to stand a chance to meet Liverpool later.

Xabi Alonso's side enter this tie as favourites, given their form and West Ham's patchy form this season. The Hammers have been unable to push for a European spot in the league consistently. However, they have been solid in Europe and beat German side SC Freiburg in the Round of 16. 

Yet Leverkusen should have enough power to overcome them over two legs, beginning with the first leg at Bay Arena on April 11. 

Liverpool vs Marsielle or Benfica

Should Liverpool beat Atalanta in the last eight, they will face either Marseille or Benfica in the last four. On paper, neither of these teams can match the Reds. 

Liverpool have lost only once to Marseille in four head-to-head meetings (W3), but they have lost more times than they have won against Benfica (W2, D1, L3). Yet, they should be too strong for either team and with Anfield likely to host the second leg, Liverpool's chances are even higher. 

Leverkusen vs AS Roma or AC Milan

Should Xabi Alonso's side overcome West Ham in the quarterfinal, they will have a trip to Italy waiting for them in the semifinal. 

AS Roma are flying high under Danielle de Rossi, while AC Milan seem to have clicked in recent games, so either of these two teams in the last four will be a tricky proposition for Leverkusen. The fact that Leverkusen's record against Italian teams is poor also adds some spice to the tie.

But a team that has not lost a league game this season and has beaten Bayern Munich in 2024 should win against either Roma or AC Milan.

Alonso vs Klopp: Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen Final 

Should Liverpool and Leverkusen overcome the above-listed opponents, the meeting everyone connected with Liverpool hopes to see will happen in Dublin on May 22. 

Barring Liverpool's announcement of a managerial appointment or Alonso's announcement of his next club before this match, the game will be seen as an audition for the Liverpool job. Even neutrals will be keen to watch the past and the future faceoff. 

Nevertheless, the Europa League is the only trophy Klopp has not won since joining Liverpool, so the Kop will hope the German wins it and bows out in style. But, should Alonso beat his former side to the trophy, it would greatly increase his rising stock and make him the sole candidate to replace Klopp at Liverpool.