Jose Mourinho's prediction about Xabi Alonso's future emerges | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso is set to take on his old Real Madrid master Jose Mourinho in the Europa League semi-final as their respective teams navigated through their quarter-final clashes.

Resident Europa League competitors Sevilla knocked out the tournament favourites in Manchester United with the score ending 5-2 on aggregate.

This high-profile upset paves the way for those left in the competition to secure European glory.

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Both of their sides won 4-1 in their second leg, though it took Mourinho’s Roma an extra 30 minutes to register the win.

Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen and their opponents were level on one goal apiece as they stepped foot onto Lotto Park, Belgium.

Three goals before the hour mark signified that the German outfit meant business.

Roma, on the other hand, had their work cut out for them following their 1-0 loss on away soil but a well-worked, 89th-minute Paulo Dybala finish took the tie to extra time.

Goals courtesy of Stephan El Shaarawy and Lorenzo Pellegrini killed the game off and handed the Italians an invitation into Europe’s second-tier’s semi-finals.

Forget what happens on the other side of the white lines, fans will be glued to their screens when these two light up their technical areas.

Mourinho sat down at a Top Eleven conference in 2019 and - ahead of time - predicted Alonso has all the attributes to become an elite manager.

Three years later, the former Real Madrid midfield string-puller was appointed head coach of Leverkusen following Gerardo Seoane’s sacking.

His success with his club, who reside in a European Conference League place, is no surprise to his former boss.

“His father was a manager, so he grew up similar to me. He was born with a father-player, he grew up with a father-manager, then he became a player – of course much better than I was,” Mourinho said.

“Then he became a player, a top player. His position on the pitch and his knowledge of the game – very high. And then he played in Spain, in England and in Germany. And he was coached by Guardiola in Bayern; by myself in Real Madrid; by Ancelotti in Real Madrid; by Benitez in Liverpool.

“So I think if you put all this together, I think Xabi has conditions to be a very good coach.”

One fan replied to the footage: “Mourinho is a visionary.” With another adding: “Jose was spot on. Now he gets to play against him and test Xabi’s knowledge of the game."

And they’re bang on the money.

This’ll be Alonso’s toughest test so far as Bayer Leverkusen head coach, with their own personal alliance hanging over the fixture, too.

Many of the other reactions praised Mourinho for his smart conversing.

“If this man had a podcast I wouldn’t leave my home," a fan commented.

“The way he analyses football situations is legendary.” another fan chimed in.

Inside the Mourinho – Alonso relationship

The Leverkusen manager was part of Los Blancos between 2009 and 2014 and went on to play 236 times for the club, establishing himself as one of the best holding midfielders of his generation in the process.

Mourinho followed suit and moved to Madrid in 2010 and won the 2011/12 La Liga title against Guardiola's Barcelona, who followed in second place, nine points adrift from their arch-rivals.

The pair combined forces in the Spanish capital once Mourinho took over in 2010 and began an all-action era between two of Spanish heavyweights, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

A year prior, Mourinho secured Madrid a Copa del Rey title against Barcelona with a 103rd-minute Cristiano Ronaldo header the separator.

Alonso is a previous student of Mourinho’s which makes this clash, with a Europa League final spot at stake, all the more enticing.