It was a picture of rare symbolic power: Inevitably, Bayern Munich is resting its hopes on one man's shoulders in the Champions League opener against Manchester City Wednesday night - Xabi Alonso.
The 32-year-old midfielder is the man given the task of leading the 2013 Champions League winner to the 2015 final which takes place in Germany's capital Berlin June 6, reports Xinhua.
A few days ago, Alonso was walking up and down for an hour at the courtyard of Bayern Munich's headquarters to finish a commercial for the club's kit suppliers Adidas. It looked as if Alonso had been at the place for years.
With an uncanny instinct, the Spaniard went about the job like the way he has been ruling Munich's midfield for the past few weeks - with overwhelming efficiency and a smile on his face.
Alonso might not be a scary figure. His legs look rather skinny, his face like the nice next door neighbour. But don't get this guy wrong. He is experienced and - what's even more valuable - he knows how to win the most important club competition in football, like he did in 2005 with Liverpool or in 2014 with Real Madrid.
For Munich, the 7.5 million euro last-minute transfer is currently much more important as the team's midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger, Javier Martinez and Thiago Silva are all out injured.
"He can inspire a team with his personality," says teammate Mario Goetze of Alonso whose job it is to link defence and offence from just in front of the back line.
Within a few days, any doubts there may have been were blown away. He is 32 and therefore not a man for the future, some experts assumed. As Toni Kroos (24) was transferred to Real, it was regarded as a panic transfer when Munich signed the "old fella".
Now Alonso has become a key figure in Munich in no time at all and he is ready to bear the responsibility of fulfilling his coach's dream of winning the 2015 Champions League.
"I am fit, I am ready to take it all," Alonso declared after Bayern coach Pep Guardiola expressed his fears that it might be a bit too much for Alonso.
"If he has too many games, he might be dead in a month," said Guardiola, thinking his Spanish leader might overload if he had to bear the burden for a longer period of time.
Alonso can see the gaps where it is worth passing especially as Guardiola is demanding more speed and efficiency up front. And, as mentioned, Alonso is experienced on the Champions League stage. Last year Bayern won the duel with the English champions Manchester City in two tight matches (3-1 and 2-3).
Against Man City, Alonso is likely to play in front of a back line of four of Philipp Lahm, Jerome Boateng, Dante and Juan Bernat. David Alaba, Thomas Mueller, Mario Goetze and Franck Ribery are expected to be Bayern's midfielders. And Robert Lewandowski is anxiously looking forward to doing his first Champions League outing for the German champions after joining from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
No doubt Manchester City, in contrast to their Bundesliga opponents Schalke or Stuttgart, will be a much tougher nut to crack even for a man like Alonso as more physical strength will be required.
But even having to make up for many injured players, Bayern are happy to see Alonso walk up and down - either in their courtyard for commercial reasons or on the pitch as the man of the match. It sounds like a sweet dream to them when Alonso says he is determined to win his third Champions League title with his third club.
