Trent Alexander-Arnold taunts Man City with Liverpool admission - 'Knew what I was getting into'

Trent Alexander-Arnold has opened up on settling into life at Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool, while taunting Manchester City after his side's victory in the Champions League

Trent Alexander-Arnold has settled into life at Real Madrid(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)

Trent Alexander-Arnold has confessed he took particular satisfaction in Real Madrid's progression to the Champions League quarter-finals, as it allowed him to exact some revenge on Manchester City.

Real sailed through to the last eight with a commanding 5-1 victory on aggregate, securing back-to-back triumphs over Pep Guardiola's men on Tuesday.

Vinicius Junior netted a brace to seal a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium following Bernardo Silva's 20th-minute dismissal. Erling Haaland's strike offered little comfort to City, who were already facing a monumental challenge after their 3-0 defeat in the opening leg in Spain, courtesy of a Fede Valverde hat-trick.

In many respects, this was typical Real Madrid, a club that has claimed six Champions League crowns in the past 12 seasons. However, for Alexander-Arnold, this marks unfamiliar territory, as he experiences the tournament's knockout rounds with Real for the first time since his transfer from Liverpool last summer.

During his Anfield career, Alexander-Arnold lifted the Champions League trophy, secured two Premier League titles, claimed the FA Cup, won the Carabao Cup and triumphed in the Club World Cup. Yet his former side also finished as league runners-up to City on two occasions whilst he was there, making Tuesday's victory over his old adversaries all the sweeter for the right-back.

"This is the most important stage of the season," he said. "Big matches are coming one after another, and each one feels like a final.

Alvaro Arbeloa greets Trent Alexander-Arnold after he is replaced during Real Madrid's win Manchester City(Image: (Visionhaus/Getty Images))

"The expectation at Real Madrid is to go all the way in the Champions League and win. It's built into the very core of the club. We thrive on these expectations, and it helps us bring out our best qualities.

"It was nice to get one over Manchester City, they've snatched a few medals from me and Liverpool. You know going up against Manchester City is always going to be tough, so we're proud of the performance."

Alexander-Arnold's transition from Liverpool to Madrid hasn't been entirely smooth, with fitness issues restricting him to 20 appearances across all competitions. However, the 27-year-old has now found his feet under boss Alvaro Arbeloa and appears settled in the Spanish capital.

"I knew what I was getting into, it's a completely different culture, language and style of football," he said. "Everyone's made me feel really at home from minute one, and encouraged me to be myself.

"The manager has filled me with a lot of confidence so hopefully I can stay fit and push on. He's enabled me to play the way I can."

Real's prize for overcoming City is a probable quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich, who hold a commanding 6-1 advantage over Atalanta going into Wednesday's second leg.