Gerrard Blames Benitez for 'Disastrous' Alonso Sale

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard was devastated when Xabi Alonso left for Real Madrid, and he pointed the finger at the manager.

What happened. Steven Gerrard was left devastated when Liverpool sold Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in 2009, and he blamed manager Rafa Benitez for the transfer.

• Gerrard played with Alonso for five years, winning the Champions League together.
• Benitez had previously tried to replace Alonso with Gareth Barry in 2008.
• Alonso was popular with teammates and fans, making the sale harder to accept.

The sale remains a sore point for Gerrard, highlighting a questionable transfer decision by Liverpool.

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