Football expert Marco Streller heats up the rumor mill in the Champions League studio at blue Sport. The 37-time international can imagine Granit Xhaka moving to Real Madrid.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Granit Xhaka to Real Madrid? blue football expert Marco Streller heats up the rumor mill in the Champions League studio.
- The condition: Coach Xabi Alonso would probably have to move to the royals first.
- Streller says: "That could well be the case. Alonso knows that Granit was a crucial piece of the puzzle for Leverkusen's success."
Since his move from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen, Granit Xhaka has been the mastermind of the Werkself under Xabi Alonso. The national team captain led the team to the double and the Europa League final last season and has big plans again this season.
It's no wonder that blue football experts Marco Streller and Marcel Reif are singing the praises of the 32-year-old Basel player ahead of the Champions League clash between Leverkusen and Atlético Madrid on Tuesday evening.
"He's the boss on the pitch. He coaches - while he has the ball - sometimes even the others," Streller marvels. Reif adds: "That's what you call leadership qualities, when someone leads the way and doesn't shy away from a duel. Xhaka is the kind of leader you couldn't ask for better."
Will Xhaka soon be playing for Real Madrid?
With performances like that, it wouldn't be surprising if Xhaka's career continued on a European level after Leverkusen, Streller believes - and heats up the rumor mill: "Honestly, I don't know if that was his last stop abroad. I can well imagine that if Xabi Alonso goes to Real Madrid and Modrić quits, it could well be that suddenly ..."
... Xhaka moves to Real Madrid? Not an impossibility for Streller. On the contrary: "That could well be the case. Alonso knows that Granit was a crucial piece of the puzzle for the success in Leverkusen."
But that's all just speculation, Streller confirms. "I don't know." Especially as the blue football expert, as a Basel legend, should actually be hoping for a move back to FCB. Of course, Streller wouldn't mind that either. "Hopefully, we'd all be delighted," says Streller, but sticks to his Real theory: "It's not out of the question."
