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Trent Alexander-Arnold revealed that three of his former Liverpool teammates messaged him after Real Madrid was pitted against the Reds in the Champions League.
The Champions League draw took place in September, and it saw Liverpool drawn to host Madrid on gameday four. Liverpool goes into the clash having won two of its opening three games during the league phase, while Madrid has a 100 per cent record after wins over Marseille, Kairat Almaty and Juventus.
Alexander-Arnold did not start in any of those games, and his last start in any competition came at the end of August, so it is not clear just how much he will be involved at Anfield this week.
A hamstring injury has played a part in Alexander-Arnold's slow start to his Madrid career, but he is now fully fit and he was an unused substitute in each of Los Blancos' last two games, with Federico Valverde favored over him at right-back by Xabi Alonso.
While Alexander-Arnold is yet to make an impact at his new club, Liverpool has also struggled in the 27-year-old's position since his departure, with Dominik Szoboszlai, Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong all being used there by Arne Slot since the start of the campaign.
Despite Liverpool missing Alexander-Arnold's creative influence, there is unlikely to be much vocal appreciation for him from the home supporters when he returns to his old club on Tuesday, but that will not affect how fondly he remembers his time with the Reds.
“Whatever way I’m received, is the decision of the fans," Alexander-Arnold told Amazon Prime. "I’ll always love the club, I’ll always be a fan of the club.
“I’ll always be thankful for the opportunities and the things we achieved together… they’ll live with me forever. No matter what, my feeling won’t change towards Liverpool. I’ve got memories there that will last me a lifetime, and no matter how I'm received, that won’t change."
Alexander-Arnold said that he received messages from Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate after the draw confirmed a speedy return to Merseyside for the England international.
"After the draw, Robbo, Mo and Ibou (Konate) all messaged me, we were just laughing," he said. “When the draw was announced, everyone knew it was going to happen, it was destined for that fixture to come.
"It will be a very difficult game, the reception and atmosphere will contribute to that. Although they (Liverpool) haven’t had the results of late, they’re still a top footballing team, and nobody here thinks it’s going to be an easy game."
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