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Beth Lindop
Liverpool‘s head coach, Arne Slot, stated he will greet Trent Alexander-Arnold warmly upon his return to Anfield with Real Madrid for their upcoming Champions League match on Tuesday, although he is uncertain about how the fans will react.
Alexander-Arnold exited Liverpool at the conclusion of last season, having made 354 appearances for his cherished boyhood club since joining the academy at six years old. The 27-year-old faced criticism from some fans after allowing his contract to run down at Anfield and could be met with a chilly reception from supporters if he plays for Xabi Alonso’s team.
“I can only speak for myself regarding his reception; I have fond memories of both the player and the person,” Slot remarked. “He was my vice captain last season, and my experiences working with him have been entirely positive. I also have numerous wonderful memories of him playing in a Liverpool shirt.”
“He can expect a warm welcome from me. Let’s see if he is actually on the pitch tomorrow. As for how the fans will welcome him, I really have no idea, but he will receive a warm welcome from me, that’s for sure.”
Liverpool rebounded from a string of four consecutive Premier League losses with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.
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Slot’s team previously defeated Real Madrid by the same scoreline in their league stage match of the Champions League last November, but he acknowledges the upcoming challenge on Tuesday will be different.
“Comparing this game to last year is difficult for me,” the Dutch coach said. “Last season, they had numerous injuries, but now they are fit and have retained much of their squad. There are similarities in both teams. Xabi [Alonso] is doing a fantastic job at Madrid, but Carlo Ancelotti had a successful tenure as well.”
“They’ve strengthened their roster, which can influence the match, but last season’s Real Madrid was very strong. They have a storied history in this competition, having won it 15 times. They are an excellent team, but we are a strong team too.”
Liverpool will not have the services of Alexander Isak for the match against Madrid, as the Swedish international is still recuperating from a groin injury. Additionally, Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong are also unavailable.
“None of the three will be ready for tomorrow’s game,” Slot confirmed. “Jeremie and Alisson will both miss Sunday’s match against Manchester City. With Alex, we will have to monitor his progress closely. He definitely won’t start Sunday, but there’s a chance he could be part of the squad, although he hasn’t been training with the team yet, so we will have to wait and see.”