Florian Wirtz defended yet again, this time by former boss Xabi Alonso

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 4 Nov 2025 05:02 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Florian Wirtz has gone through a tough time since his big-money move from Liverpool but he has certainly not been short of support as team-mates, former colleagues and Reds manager Arne Slot have continually backed him to come good at Anfield.

Liverpool broke the Premier League transfer record in the summer to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £116 million (€133.7m), though they subsequently broke the record again to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

The Germany international has played 13 competitive matches over the Premier League and Champions League so far this season and has two assists and zero goals to his name.

He still has zero goals and zero assists from 10 Premier League games.

His performances have forced Slot's hand and he has been left out of the starting XI for key matches, including at the weekend as Liverpool beat Aston Villa 2-0 at home.

Wirtz found the best form of his career under current Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen and the pair are on opposing teams on Tuesday as Liverpool host Los Blancos in the Champions League. The Spaniard was asked about his former player's struggles.

"I have no doubts, it's just a matter of time," Alonso said when asked if Wirtz will come good.

"It's a big chance for him, coming to Liverpool after so many years in Germany, and being there his whole life.

"He needs to adapt, but he's a really special player. He's competitive. Hopefully not tomorrow (Tuesday), but I hope soon he'll show his quality and his class."

Wirtz receives support

Two of Wirtz's main supporters through this tough period have been his current boss, Slot, and former Liverpool manager and compatriot Jurgen Klopp.

Slot said of Wirtz on Monday:

"You can say he’s started one of the last four [two of the last four] but you can also say he’s started 10 already this season," said the Liverpool boss.

"I’ve said this quite a lot, not as an excuse but just how it is; many times we have to play three games in seven days with only two days’ rest in between. For a player who comes from a different league, which is a very good league by the way, nine out of 10 people would agree the Premier League is a bit more intense in all the games.

"If you look at that then he already played a lot. He has had his impact in a lot of games but has been unlucky with the end product either by himself or his teammates. For me, he brought exactly what we expected, a player who created a lot for the team. He will have his goals but I don’t think it comes as a surprise to anyone that if you’re 22 or 23 and come to a different league that you might need some time to adjust to that intensity if you play every three days. Ryan Gravenberch was sitting here before and it took him a while to adjust to the intensity, maybe even longer than it is going to take Florian."

Klopp, meanwhile, once described Wirtz as a "once in a century" talent.

"His quality is so outstanding, the discussions are a bit exaggerated," he previously told n-tv.

"Liverpool just lost three games in a row, which is unusual.

"But that's also normal in life and that's why such things are discussed there.

"[Wirtz is] a once-in-a-century talent, and at some point he'll show that in every game again - just as he did at Leverkusen."

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