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LiL updates on my boringz life:-

24th Oct- Watched "HALLOWEEN 2" @ Iluma, Bugis wit Fad.. WooHoo!! *AwEsOmE + GoRe + VioLenT + BruTaL + BlooDy..!! Im lovin' tiz kinda movies!! hahazz..!! *Grins Evilly* =))

20th Oct- Meet up wit Nadiah @ Town.. Had lunch @ "Far East Plaza".. Juz hangin' out around Town, laughin' like crazyy & havin' funn..!! Then we head down to Bugis & Sim Lim Square.. WooHoo!! I've bought "Pink Heart-Shaped WebCam"!! =))

17th Oct- BPL 09/10:- Liverpool vs Sunderland!! My team lost 0-1!! ='(( Gerrard & Torres were injured.. They were left out of the game!! I guess my team needs the "Dynamic Duo" to kick other teams *ASS!!* =((

4th oct- BPL 09/10:- Liverpool vs Chelsea!! My team lost 0-2!! ='(( Haizz.. Soo *SADD + EMO*!! =((

3rd Oct- Fad came over my house.. Ordered "Canadian Pizza".. Head down to Orchard.. Went "Borders" findin' for "TORRES" book, cant find it there.. Went in
HMV & im soo excited to see "Paramore:- Brand New Eyes" album!! =)) Then went to Bugis.. Finally, saw 'TORRES:- El-NiNo Autobiography' book @ Kinokuniya!!
Damn *EXCITED*!! =)) Im soo gonna get Gerrard & Carragher books as well..!! =))

27th Sept:- Watched "Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Race" Live!! Followed by, "2009 FORMULA 1 SingTel S'pore Grand Prix Night Race Finals Live!!" Such a freakin'
*EXCITINGGG* race to watch!! Soo sadd "KiMi Raikkonen" didnt win!! =(( Congrats to "Lewis Hamilton" for winnin' the race & Congrats to "Jensen Button" for ownin' the title of "2009 Formula 1 World Champion"..!! =))

26th Sept- "BPL 09/10:- Liverpool vs Hull City!!" WooHoo!! My team won 6-1!! Torres scored 3 goals @ 11th mins, 28th mins & 47th mins!! =)) Freakin'
*Brilliant + Amazing* goal by Gerrard @ 60th mins!! Babel scored @ 87th mins & 90th mins when he unknowingly deflected in Reira's late shot!! *AwEsOmE!!* =)) & 1 of Hull player tackle Torres & got Yellow card!! Serve him right!! =p

P.S:- I was busyy switchin' channels between "Football & F1 Qualifyin' round" every now & then!! Oohh Goshh!! I feel like the onli gurl who's soo interested in "Football & F1!!" hahazz..!! *Grins Evilly* =))

25th Sept- "F1 NIGHT RACE IN S'PORE!! Practice Session!!" Meet up wit Fad @ "Raffles Place" to catch a glimpse of "F1 cars!!" =)) Upon reachin' near
"Fullerton Hotel" bridge, all i heard was the freakin' awesome engines sounds of the cars!! *EXCITEDD* =)) My bro & Suraiyah reached a while later & we went to grab a bite 1st.. Had yummy Satays from the one & onli mly stall there.. hahazz..!! Then followed my bro to tiz spot & it was oreadi crowded wit ppl!! I squeezed thru the crowd & finally gets to the front while steppin' on the steps & hangin' onto the fence, peepin' from outside!! Soo Damn *HAPPYY* & *EXCITEDD* watchin' the cars race on the circuit, without even payin' a single cent!! hahazz..!! *Grins Evilly* =)) WooHoo!! Watchin' "F1 Grand Prix LIVE" is soo muchh funn than watchin' on tv!! =))

P.S:- Hott Guyzz + Hott Cars!! & the best thin' is, i get to see "FERRARI!!" Im juz gonna make myself happyy & insist dat its "KiMi Raikkonen!!" =))

19th Sept- Break Fast @ cousin house on "Hari Raya Eve".. From there, we head down to Geylang Bazaar arnd midnite till 3plus am!! Me, crazyy Dada & Yinnn did Henna.. I missed "BPL 09/10:- Liverpool vs West Ham" match!! Asked Chris to update me & received gudd news from him!! WooHoo!! Liv wins 3-2!! =))

BAD NEWS!! =((

1) AVRIL LAVIGNE 4TH ALBUM IS GONNA BE RELEASED IN MARCH 2010, INSTEAD OF NOV 2009!! =((

Reasons:-

AVRIL LAVIGNE confirmed in a statement that she and fellow Canadian rocker, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, have separated.

According to reports, Lavigne is apparently so determined to turn the page on the relationship, she has opted to cut tracks from her forthcoming CD. Whibley, 29, is said to have produced eight of the nine songs recorded for the album at the couple's studio in Tarzana, Calif.

A friend told Us Weekly, "She is going to do new songs that don't have his mark on them. She wants no trace of him."

P.S:- Cant wait for the album to be out!! =))

2) KIMI RAIKKONEN COULD WALK AWAY FROM FORMULA ONE!! ='((

Reasons:-

Kimi Raikkonen has suggested he could walk away from Formula One after losing his place at Ferrari to Spain's Fernando Alonso.

"So far I have not really talked too much about what I will do next as I still have time to make my decision and I will let you know when I have," the 2007 world champion said at the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday.

"For the moment, I haven't decided what I want to do next, whether I want to continue racing or not.

"I had a contract for next year, but now I don't, so that changes things. So maybe I race, maybe I do not," added the Finn.

Ferrari announced on Wednesday that Renault's double world champion Alonso would be joining the team next year and Raikkonen leaving, despite having a
contract for 2010.

Raikkonen suggested that commercial issues had played a part in his departure, with Spanish bank Santander arriving as a major Ferrari backer.

"You can ask them but of course in F1 even if you have a contract there is always a lot of money involved and there can always be different options in life and that's what happened," he said.

"There's not just one reason for the whole thing."

The Finn has been strongly linked in the paddock rumour mill to a return to McLaren, the Mercedes-powered team he left at the end of 2006. However,
McLaren sources said nothing had been agreed.

Raikkonen told reporters he had always had a good relationship with McLaren, whose second driver is Finland's Heikki Kovalainen at present, and recognised
that partnering current champion Lewis Hamilton was a possibility.

"If I do decide to stay in Formula One, I wouldn't go to any of the small teams, where I would not have the chance to fight for the championship," he said.

"If I race next year, that would be my goal, otherwise there is no reason to be in Formula One. I achieved what I wanted, but if I race, then of course I want to win more races and championship titles."

The Finn has also taken part in a round of the world rally championship this year and that could be another avenue to explore.

"There's a chance to do that, but there's as much of a chance that I continue in Formula One," he said. "I will decide before the start of next year for sure."

P.S:- WHAT THE SHITT..?! Im gonna be soo sadd if KiMi quit F1..!! ='((

3) SINGTEL WINS RIGHT TO "EPL, ESPN, STAR SPORTS!!" ='((

INGAPORE: Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel) has won the rights to air Barclays English Premier League matches across its platforms, as well as
exclusive broadcast rights to ESPN STAR Sports for mio TV.

In a statement released on Thursday, SingTel said the rights would allow it to broadcast EPL matches on mio TV, the Internet and mobile applications for
three years starting August next year.

Asia's leading telecommunications company said it has also secured rights to a suite of sports networks and services from ESPN STAR Sports for its mio TV
customers.

This means it will have the rights to show programme offerings under ESPN, which include the FA Cup, Formula One, the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open Golf Championship.

A new 24-hour sports news channel, called ESPNEWS, is also slated for broadcast on mio TV from next month.

SingTel said other exclusive sports services will be unveiled soon.

SingTel Singapore CEO Allen Liew assured viewers that charges will be comparable to what sports fans are currently paying to their cable TV operator.

P.S:- Aarrgghh!! This realli pissed me off!! Im soo freakin' *ANGRYY & MAD!!* ='(( How am i gonna watch "Barclays English Premier League, Champions League,
F1..?! DAMN IT!! ='((

GOOD NEWS!! =))

1) Fernando Torres- I won't join a rival:-

Reds striker would be happy to finish career at Anfield

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has revealed he does not envisage ever playing for another Premier League club, especially Manchester United.

Torres has made a stunning impact since joining Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007 and has scored 58 goals in 93 appearances for the club.

He has also enjoyed an impressive start to the new season, netting eight goals to date, including a hat-trick in last week's 6-1 thrashing of Hull City.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez recently admitted that rival Premier League sides had enquired about the Spain ace over the summer, with Manchester City and Chelsea
rumoured to have shown an interest.

However, the 25-year-old would not countenance leaving Anfield for another English club, particularly old adversaries United.

"I can understand the feelings between Man Utd and Liverpool," Torres told Sport magazine when asked about the chances of playing for the Premier League
champions.

"I'm a foreign player, but I know how the Liverpool fans feel and I remember the welcome I had when I arrived - it was amazing.

"I hope to play a lot of years or maybe even finish my career here.

"I don't know, but Liverpool is my English team and I don't think about playing for another one."

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres vows to never join rivals Manchester United as Spain star plans to end his career at Anfield

Fernando Torres has pledged to never join Manchester United out of respect for Liverpool fans.

Although the Premier League's top scorer is only 25, the Spanish striker admits he is already contemplating ending his career at Anfield, having firmly
settled in on Merseyside since his £20million arrival from Atletico Madrid in 2007.

Asked about the chances of playing for United, Torres said: 'I can understand the feelings between Man United and Liverpool.
'I'm a foreign player, but I know how the Liverpool fans feel and I remember the welcome I had when I arrived - it was just amazing.

Title dream: Torres insists Liverpool must believe that can end their 20-year championship hoodoo.

'I hope to play a lot of years or maybe even finish my career here.

'I don't know, but Liverpool is my English team and I don't think about playing for another one.'
Torres, who has scored eight goals so far this season, knows how important a win at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea will be this Sunday if the Reds are to stake their claim as serious title contenders this season, insisting belief is the key to success.
'We know it will be difficult because a lot of teams want to win the Premier League,' he told Sport magazine.

'But I think we have to believe in ourselves.'
'We have the same chance as Manchester United, Chelsea, City or Arsenal.
'We just have to keep believing we can win, and then see what happens at the end of the season.'

2) Fernando Torres: I Could Be At Liverpool For Another Ten Years:-

The striker plans a long-term English stay.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has revealed that he is not planning a return to Spain any time soon and could even see himself remaining in England for another decade.

"I think I have four more years of my contract here and I'm really happy. I don't think about coming back to Spain now," he told Sky Sports News.

"I don't know - maybe in a couple or in ten years! But I'm really happy in England, I would like to play in England for a long time."

As for his partnership with Steven Gerrard, Torres would like to see the England man playing back in his role behind the striker, after the skipper has lined up in a more withdrawn central midfield role in some recent games.

"Stevie's playing in the middle now, a little bit lower, because we have players in that position - Mascherano is coming back from his national team with an injury," he said.

"I hope that Mascherano will be fit and that Stevie can play between the lines because he's a very, very important player for us in that position. He's making a lot of goals and giving assists to everyone.

"He's the key player for us and if he can play close to the box it wil be better for the team."

The Spain star is also doing his best to curb his onfield dissent and says that he will be focusing more on the game rather than any disputes with match officials - particularly given the difficulty of their jobs.

"This is a mistake I have to try to not do again," he said of his recent bust-ups with referees.

"I have to stay focused on football, try to be focused on the game and my mates and forget the referee, because he is doing his job.

"I know how difficult it is to be a referee. They have probably the more difficult job because all the people can never stay happy with them - always 11 will be happy and 11 will be angry with the referee.

"So we have to help the referee and I'm sure, being like this, the referee will help and protect the players."

As for his hopes for the year, Liverpool winning the title and Spain winning the World Cup would certainly be something he would enjoy.

"I hope so," he said. "It will be a dream!"

3) Liverpool's Torres tells Spain pals: Gerrard best I've played with:-

Liverpool ace Fernando Torres says the world is trembling at the prospect of teammate Steven Gerrard being paired with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney in England's attack.

Torres said: "I have never played with a better player than Stevie - for me he really is the best in the world.

"If Rooney can get an understanding with him, that will make England one of the most dangerous attacking forces in the world. He runs into space like no other player in the world and he can find you with a pass from 50 yards.

"I have the advantage of playing with Stevie week in and week out. But Rooney is a good enough player to find an understanding with him.

"I can guarantee there will be no defence in the world that's not scared of them. When a nation wins a major tournament there are always two players who form a devastating understanding.

"You had Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, Del Piero and Totti and, most recently, the understanding I had with David Villa. That is the sort of class I know Stevie and Wayne can be in if they get that understanding.

"They are world class and have the attributes to complement each other very nicely.

"But, most importantly, they show passion when playing for their country and you can't win a tournament without that."

4) Torres: I almost hung up on Rafa when he called about Liverpool move:-

Liverpool ace Fernando Torres admits he almost hung up on Rafa Benitez when he first called him about leaving Atletico Madrid.

Torres told the Mirror: “I don’t pick up the phone if I don’t recognise the number. Whoever it was had been very insistent – and that evening, a Sunday night, I rang back. There was no answer but a couple of seconds later, whoever it was returned the call.

“’Hello Fernando’ said a Spanish voice at the other end, ‘do you know who this is?’ ‘No’ I replied. ‘You mean, you’d ring a random English number when you don’t even know who it is?’ the voice said. ‘Not normally, no,’ I said, ‘but I’ve had three calls from this number and I want to know who it is.’ ‘It’s Rafa Benitez.’

“There wasn’t much conversation – not from me, at least. My responses were to the point, short and cold. Too cold. Off hand. I’m amazed he didn’t tell me to get lost.

“My mind was racing, trying to place the voice, to decide if it really was Benitez. But how should I know when I had never spoken to him before? He didn’t stop talking. He explained what his plans were and he told me that he had decided that I was the player he wanted to be Liverpool’s centre-forward. He needed to know if I was committed enough to the idea for him to fight for my signature and start negotiating with Atletico Madrid.

“I didn’t know what to think; my mind wasn’t clear, it was spinning. I was thinking that maybe it was a mate of mine fooling around or some impersonator
trying to catch me out.

“ I thought I might be falling victim to another bad taste joke, like Jose Antonio Reyes when someone from a radio station rang him pretending to be the Real Madrid’s vice president Emilio Butragueno while he was still at Arsenal and he got himself in all sorts of trouble by admitting to ‘Butragueno’ that he would love to join Madrid.

“Almost all I managed to say was ‘Speak to Miguel Angel Gill, Atletico’s owner, and when the leagues over I’ll think about my future.”

5) Torres claims Premier League is best in the world:-

Fernando Torres says that the English Premier League is still the best in world football, despite a summer of big spending in Spain.

Fernando Torres: Happy in England.

The Reds ace believes the other European leagues still have some way to go before they can claim to have usurped their English rivals, despite the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to La Liga this year.

"English football has an enormous following across the world, not just because of the players but because of its history, its tradition, the excitement, the capacity crowds," Torres told Liverpool's official website.

"The other leagues can learn a lot, even La Liga. (Real) Madrid have signed Kaka and (Cristiano) Ronaldo, and Barcelona have Xavi and (Lionel) Messi but, really, the Premier League is way ahead."

Torres is also hopeful that Liverpool are able to mount a title challenge this season and claims he wants to get his hands on as much silverware as possible during his time on Merseyside.

"Winning the league here would be like winning the European Championship with Spain last year," he added. "A player wants to be remembered for what he has won, for what he has given to his club.

"Ten years after you stop playing you want to have medals, trophies. You may have a fantastic car and home but it's not the same."

Torres - England is best:-

Reds ace believes Premier League sets the standard

Fernando Torres insists the Premier League continues to set the standard in world football.

The balance of power had appeared to be shifting towards the Primera Liga following a summer of big spending in Spain.

Liverpool striker Torres is not convinced, though, believing the top-flight in his homeland still has some way to go before they can claim to have usurped their English rivals.

The Reds ace knows what both divisions have to offer, having swapped life at Atletico Madrid for that at Anfield in 2007, and he claims his current surroundings come out on top.

"English football has an enormous following across the world, not just because of the players but because of its history, its tradition, the excitement, the capacity crowds," Torres told Liverpool's official website.

"The other leagues can learn a lot, even La Liga. (Real) Madrid have signed Kaka and (Cristiano) Ronaldo, and Barcelona have Xavi and (Lionel) Messi but, really, the Premier League is way ahead."

Medals
Torres is hoping to etch his name into the Premier League history books this season, with the top-flight crown in his sights.

He believes Liverpool are capable of landing the title and claims he is desperate to get his hands on as much silverware as possible during his time on Merseyside.

"Winning the league here would be like winning the European Championship with Spain last year," he added.

"A player wants to be remembered for what he has won, for what he has given to his club.

"Ten years after you stop playing you want to have medals, trophies. You may have a fantastic car and home but it's not the same."

Fernando Torres: 'I have never thought about leaving Liverpool FC':-

ONE talented Spaniard may be heading for the Anfield exit door but Liverpool’s most valuable import insists he has never been happier.

Fernando Torres will return to his homeland for tomorrow’s friendly against Espanyol looking to build up his match sharpness ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The prolific frontman only returned from his extended summer break on the eve of the Reds’ Far East tour but he looked like he had never been away.

He produced a dazzling 10-minute cameo against Thailand before opening his account during a half-hour burst in the 5-0 win over Singapore.

After being hampered by hamstring problems last season, Torres is on a mission to make up for lost time.

“I want to forget all my injury problems from last season and I want to play in every single game this season – be it the league, the Champions League, the FA Cup or the League Cup,” he said.

“Based on the quality of this squad, we can go very far and win many trophies.

“All I want is to score more goals to help the team win more trophies.”

Much has been made about Liverpool’s lack of firepower with Andriy Voronin, David Ngog and rookie Krisztian Nemeth the only possible alternatives.

Robbie Keane hasn’t been replaced since he returned to Spurs in January but Torres insists he is happy leading the line on his own.

“Playing up front alone has its challenges but I’m used to it since my days at Atletico Madrid,” he said.

“I don’t mind playing alone or with another striker. I don’t really think about it. As a striker, you are playing for the team and what is more important is that you score goals and help your team win the game in the end.

“I don’t think we need to sign any other players. We have already bought good players such as Glen Johnson whom I believe is a good signing for Liverpool.

“We don’t need to buy new players to prove that we are capable of winning.”

Torres admits he is relishing the prospect of renewing his partnership with Steven Gerrard following the skipper’s return to the Reds squad after his
court appearance.

“Gerrard is the best player in the world and is a special friend to me,” Torres said.

“We have this special understanding between us on the field. He can read my mind and I can read his.

“He is always looking out for me on the field. Once I make a move, he will try and pass the ball to me. So far our partnership has worked very well.”

Xabi Alonso may have decided he wants to cut short his stay on Merseyside and move to Real Madrid but Torres insists he won’t be lured away.

The striker, who is under contract until 2013, is desperate to win silverware and believes he will achieve his dreams at Anfield.

“I have never thought about leaving the club,” he added.

“My team in Spain is Atletico Madrid and my team in England is Liverpool.

“I don’t think I’ll play for another English club, and definitely not Manchester United.

“I’m a Liverpool player and I just want to do my best for the club.

“I strongly believe we will win at least the league title within the next two years.”

Torres: Premier League still best:-

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres insists the Premier League continues to set the standard, despite a summer of big spending in Spain.

Injury-free Gerrard and Torres will bring the title to Anfield, insists Liverpool star Carragher

The Anfield defender said: ‘For me, there is no team in England who have a partnership like Stevie Gerrard and Fernando Torres. They have the ability to
tear defences wide open in a second. When you have that kind of ability in your team it gives you incredible belief.

‘If we can keep them both free of injury then we are going to take some stopping because there were times last year when we went into games without

Carragher, 31, added: ‘It’s all about taking that final step now. We’ve brought in Glen Johnson and he will give us a major lift and hopefully there might be one or two morebefore we kick off so we can make up that ground on United.

‘We found out last season that when you’re really going for the league title the pressure never lets up. You go into every game knowing that it’s must-win and, to be fair, we handled it pretty well apart from a certain stage of the season which I think cost us the league.

‘I know that fans were looking at Rafa Benitez to make some big, big signings in terms of forward players but I don’t think we need that much. We were the second best team in England. For a few years now we have shown ourselves to be among the top six teams in Europe.’

Torres: I want to make history with Liverpool:-

Fernando Torres wants to write himself into Liverpool folklore.

"Winning the league here would be like winning the European Championship with Spain last year," he said.

"A player wants to be remembered for what he has won, for what he has given to his club.

"Ten years after you stop playing you want to have medals, trophies. You may have a fantastic car and home but it's not the same."

The Reds striker is about to enter his third season at Liverpool and gave an insight into why he feels completely at home in the city.

"It's because Liverpool is a working city. At the weekend people go to watch their team at Anfield and watch the best team in the country," he added.

"I had a lot of offers from a lot of clubs but I was always attracted to Liverpool because of the reputation of the people from the city, the club's
supporters and their history, and I wanted help make this one of the greatest clubs in the world again."

Liverpool striker Torres insists Premiership still best in world:-

Despite Real Madrid and Barcelona's spending, Liverpool ace Fernando Torres insists the Premiership remains the best in the world.

He said: "Possibly the title race is more open than before and that's why the Premier League is so great.

"I still believe it's the best in the world even though Real Madrid have signed a lot of big players.

"We think this can be the year for Liverpool but we know how difficult it's going to be.

"Chelsea are there also because they have the same side as last season, and Arsenal are a strong team. But we really feel we'll be stronger than last season. We have one of our best chances to win the trophy for a long time."

6) XABI ALONSO is happy to leave:-

Xabi Alonso: I Really Wanted This Day To Come:-

The Spanish star has spoken for the first time as a Real Madrid player.

Xabi Alonso has completed a €34 million move from Liverpool to Real Madrid after weeks of speculation concerning his future at Anfield.

The 27-year-old had his first training session with Real today and spoke for the first time as a player of the club tonight at a press conference at the
Santiago Bernabeu.

"This is a very happy day for me, a really big step in my career, to get to a great club like Real from another great club like Liverpool," Alonso said.

"I really wanted this day to come and I am very happy to be part of this club."

Xabi Alonso's transfer to the Spanish capital took weeks to come to reality, but the player notes that he was always hopeful he would sign for the Merengues.

"I did not hold all the cards in my hand but I was trustful I could leave and what better club than Real Madrid?

"Some time ago I became determined to leave and when the Real Madrid opportunity came along, I spoke to Liverpool about it.

"The ending was the expected one. I am here and very happy."

The new Real acquisition, who will travel with the rest of the squad to Toronto, explained how he was welcomed by his new team-mates at today's training.

"They received me well. I arrived a bit late and I was received with applause," he noted. "As days go by, I will know them better and they will know me
better. I have never had problems anywhere."

Alonso stated he was not able to say goodbye to his Liverpool club colleagues, but that it should happen in the near future.

"My farewell was very quick. It all happened very fast and I did not have time to say goodbye," Alonso said. "I want to return to say goodbye to my
team-mates and [coach] Rafa [Benitez].

"Since it happened so fast, I almost did not have time, so there will be time for a proper farewell."

When asked about the possibility of returning to Anoeta, the home of Real Sociedad, where he played for five years, the midfielder said: "I am really excited
to play once again at Anoeta. Five years ago I did not know what the future would bring.

"I hope I will be well received there. That's my home, the people there treat me very well."

The Real Madrid fans have high hopes for the team following several high-profile signings, and Alonso revealed he understands the "great expectations"
surrounding his new side.

"I accept the challenge. I will try to bring everything I know, give solutions to my team-mates, balance to the team and make the ball go from one side to the other," Alonso stated.

"This is a project to make big things. I believe the adopted formula is positive, with world-class players."

Departing Alonso pays tribute to Liverpool:-

Xabi Alonso has paid tribute to Liverpool after departing for Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Spaniard finally completed his move to Madrid after weeks of speculation saying he was after a fresh challenge.

He did however, thank the Reds for making his five years at the club so special.

"It's a very happy day for me," said Alonso. "It's an important step in my career to come to a club like Real Madrid. I'm very happy to be part of this club and I was very excited for this day to arrive. It's the best opportunity for me to develop as a footballer.

“I am very grateful to Liverpool fans, they were very warm during my five years," he added.

"It will be really difficult to match their appreciation. I really enjoyed those five years. But a few months ago I took that decision as I thought it was the right moment to find a fresh challenge, to look for a new club. That's when Real Madrid came along. Luckily a deal has been done and I'm very happy.

"It is a personal challenge I felt is necessary for my football career. I felt it was right, so I looked for a change, for a new experience and, when Madrid came in, that's when I decided to come back to Spain."

The transfer was one of the most protracted deals of the summer but Alonso claims he always believed he would be at the Bernabéu before the start of the season. "I didn't have all the cards in my hand but I was confident. A while back I became determined to leave. The end result was what I wished for, here I am and I am very happy."

Reports suggest Alonso's relationship with the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, disintegrated after he professed his desire to leave. However, Alonso says he has nothing but respect for his former manager.

"I have repeated over and over again that the relationship was a professional one, of mutual respect, a normal one between coach and player," he said. "I respect him and thank him for the opportunity he gave me.

"The goodbyes were quite brief, everything happened very quickly and I didn't have time to say goodbye properly. I want to return to say goodbye to my team-mates and Rafa. As everything was very quick I hardly had time so as soon as I can I will say goodbye as I should have done.

"I want to thank them for everything they gave me but now I am starting a new stage in my career. I'm very excited. Five years is a big deal in a club like Liverpool. I learnt a great deal, had a great experience, played in the Champions League every year and won one. I'm arriving at Madrid more mature and with more experience."