Xabi Alonso has praised Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho as "great leaders" and is grateful to have worked with both of them.

The Spanish midfielder played under Mourinho at Real Madrid, before leaving earlier this season to join Guardiola at Bayern Munich in a two-year deal worth £7m.

Alonso maintains that he is "very lucky" to have worked with both of them, labelling the two as "great leaders".

"They are different, everyone has their own way of working and personality, but they are both great leaders who can win over a dressing room," Alonso said, according to Goal.com.

"I'm very lucky to have worked with both of them."

Guardiola's Bayern face Barcelona in the semi-final of the Champions League next week, with Alonso claiming that his manager's former team are the 'favourites'.