Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has explained why he left FC Barcelona to join German behemoths Bayern Munich in 2013.
Thiago Alcantara currently plies his trade for Premier League club Liverpool, but prior to joining the Merseyside outfit in the summer of 2020, the Spanish midfielder spent seven seasons at Bayern Munich between 2013 and 2020.
He joined Bayern Munich from Barcelona in the summer transfer window of 2013, signing a four-year deal with the Bundesliga heavyweights. Thiago Alcantara, who is also a product of the famed La Masia academy, left FC Barcelona after 101 appearances for the Catalan outfit’s senior side.
Speaking to BT Sport, Thiago Alcantara has revealed why he left Barcelona and joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2013.
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“I struggled to play as minutes as I wanted”, Thiago Alcantara reveals the reason for Barcelona’s exit in 2013
The now 31-year-old revealed that he struggled for playing minutes at Barcelona and his limited game time at the Catalan outfit led him to join Bayern Munich.
Thiago Alcantara joined Bayern Munich in the same season Pep Guardiola joined Bayern. Pep Guardiola, who is the current manager of defending Premier League champions Manchester City, left Barcelona in 2012 and became Bayern Munich’s manager in the 2013/14 season.
“I played with a lot of legends at Barça. Then I struggled to play as many minutes as I wanted,” he told BT Sport. “Pep Guardiola left the club and signed for Bayern. He asked me what was wrong with me. Bayern’s decisive motive was: ‘I need minutes, I have to play’.”
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During his seven seasons at Bayern Munich, Thiago Alcantara made 235 appearances for the German outfit and registered 31 goals. He won 16 titles with Bayern Munich during his time at the club. That includes seven Bundesliga titles, one UEFA Champions League title and one FIFA Club World Cup title.
Liverpool then signed Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window of 2020. The Spaniard, who had just one year left on his contract with Bayern, signed a four-year deal with Liverpool.
He has since been playing for the Merseyside outfit. He has so far made 91 appearances for Liverpool. Of those, 22 have come in the ongoing 22/23 season. His contract with Liverpool runs until 2024, which means he has more than a year left on his current deal with the English club.
