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Former Liverpool winger Steve McManaman has admitted that he felt out of place at Real Madrid after winning the Champions League with Los Blancos. In 1999, McManaman became only the second English player to play for the Spanish capital club after Laurie Cunningham.
McManaman, who came through Liverpool's esteemed youth ranks, had a pretty successful four-year spell at Real Madrid. During his stint at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Englishman won six trophies, including two Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles.
However, the former winger turned pundit claimed that he felt weird in the dressing room despite achieving champions League success with Los Blancos. The 52-year-old highlighted that the language barrier made it really difficult for him at the Spanish club. McManaman said on the We Are Liverpool Podcast, as quoted by Express Sport:
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"I knew what it meant to play for Liverpool... I didn't understand the complexities [of playing for Real Madrid]. When I played for Madrid, a lot of the Spanish language and the Spanish newspapers, I didn't really take much from it, because I couldn't understand the language."
"I remember we'd just won the Champions League and I'd only been at the club 10 months, and the lads were in the dressing room singing Spanish songs and lifting the president up in the air," he continued. "I [joined in], but I just felt I was a bit of a fraud. I did. Because they're all singing these Spanish songs and I just thought to myself, 'This is just weird'," McManaman added.
McManaman has claimed that he went out of the dressing room to check his messages as he could not enjoy the celebrations with his teammates. He added:
"I got my phone and I took myself out of the dressing room and I went along the corridor and sat on the floor and listened to messages... But I wasn't in the dressing room celebrating, because I thought it was all a bit weird."
"I remember thinking, 'I would have loved to have done this with Liverpool', because I would have been right at the forefront of it all and sort of knowing all the words and really throwing myself into it. I was very much on the peripheries of all the [Madrid] celebrations just because I couldn't understand it," McManaman concluded.
McManaman made 364 appearances during his stint at Liverpool, having come through the Reds' youth ranks. He scored 66 times while providing 86 assists, but won just two trophies.
With Real Madrid, the creative winger made 158 appearances despite playing in a team of Galacticos. He contributed with 14 goals and 20 assists but won a total of six trophies.
Real Madrid set to hand Liverpool huge setback in their pursuit of La Liga star: Reports
Real Madrid are reportedly set to hand Liverpool a major setback in their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. As reported by TBR Football and AS (via TeamTalk), Los Blancos are preparing a move for the Spain international.
Zubimendi was heavily linked with a move to Anfield in the summer and in fact turned down the opportunity to join Arne Slot's side. The Merseyside giants reportedly triggered his release clause but failed to convince the player.
It was claimed that Liverpool could renew their interest in the 25-year-old in January to bolster their midfield. However, Real Madrid entering the fray would be a major blow to the Reds' hopes of landing the Spaniard.
