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Former Liverpool player Joe Cole hopes to see Trent Alexander-Arnold receive a good reception upon his return to Anfield with Real Madrid tonight.
The right-back faced plenty of criticism from Liverpool's fans earlier this year after confirming he was going to leave the club at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Alexander-Arnold was booed by thousands of his own supporters on his first appearance at Anfield after that announcement, and is expected to receive a similarly frosty reception when Madrid faces Liverpool in the Champions League.
Cole, though, thinks it is unfair to accuse Alexander-Arnold of disloyalty. "Trent's a Liverpool lad," Cole told Paddy Power. "He supports the club. He lived his dream, in fact, more than what he dreamed. He won everything at the club and then wanted to try something new.
"You only get one go on the roundabout of a football career, and he probably thinks he'll never get the chance again to join Real Madrid.
“To call him disloyal, only the fans have the luxury of being able to say that. Everyone Trent played with at Liverpool Football Club from the age of six or seven has been let go by the club when they were deemed surplus to requirements.
"As a footballer, you get to see all of this going on, and you become a bit cynical about it. You realise that when Liverpool Football Club is ready to dispose of a footballer, whether it's someone who's played 500 games for the club or a 13-year-old trying to achieve his dream, they go and there's no talk about loyalty and the club being in the wrong.
"As far as I'm concerned, Trent's absolutely fine and hopefully one day they will celebrate what he's done for the club, because he's done some remarkable things.
"What an opportunity to go and play for Real Madrid, and who knows, one day he might come back to Liverpool."
Cole expects Alexander-Arnold to take some flak before and during the game, but hopes he receives a better reception following the final whistle.
"I would like to think they'll give him a bit of stick, because they want to win the game, but afterwards I'd like to think he would get a standing ovation," Cole said.
"At the end of the day, he's one of their own. His achievements at the club are fantastic, so hopefully he gets a good reception".
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