Xabi Alonso: "This Was The Toughest Decision Of My Life"

Following the confirmation of his move to Bayern Munich, Xabi Alonso spoke to the press at the Bernabéu and called leaving Real Madrid "the toughest decision of my life". "I wanted to be honest with Real and you have to know when to go your separate ways. It's never easy", the midfielder noted. Asked about how long Bayern had been pursuing him, Xabi claimed that he only found out about their interest "a couple of weeks ago". The Basque anchorman insisted that it was his choice to jump ship because he felt a "new era" had begun after Real won the 'Décima': "No one at the club wanted me to go. It was my decision. Real Madrid always respected my wishes and I've always had the coach's support. It was just a feeling in my bones that the time had come to leave". Alonso acknowledged that he was thirsting for "new challenges" and "new incentives" after capturing the Champions League last year. "I needed a change to bring out my best again", he stated, adding that he has had the privilege of working with "great coaches" in Madrid and is looking forward to "learning" under Pep Guardiola. Lastly, the 32-year-old denied his departure was a "tantrum" fuelled by Toni Kroos's arrival: "Of course not. He's a great player and I think we would have played together regularly. But Real Madrid have everything planned out and are well stocked in central midfield. I don't think my absence will be felt". Read more: Xabi Alonso: "This was the toughest decision of my life" - MARCA.com (English version)