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Liverpool and Anfield will welcome back Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Champions League group stage.
The England international bid farewell to his boyhood club in the summer to join Real Madrid after his Liverpool contract expired. Real even paid a transfer fee to Liverpool, of around $11.7 million, in order for Alexander-Arnold to play in this summer's Club World Cup.
He was seen in tears as Liverpool celebrated winning the Premier League at the end of last season in what was his final appearance in a red shirt at Anfield. But he will be soon back on Merseyside after the draw for the group stage was made on Thursday.
Liverpool will also welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield, with other home games against Qarabag and PSV Eindhoven. A trip to the San Siro awaits to take on last season's beaten finalists Inter Milan, as well as away matches with Eintracht Frankfurt, Marseille and Galatasaray.
Alexander-Arnold started Real's first game of the season but only appeared as a substitute last time out against Real Oviedo, with Xabi Alonso instead preferring Dani Carvajal.
Speaking after that game, Alonso said: "I haven't made a decision for the next month. I'm going to see how we recover and to make sure that people feel important and ready to start, come off the bench or be able to be in the next game.
“We have twenty-odd players in the squad and I'm going to try to get the best out of all of them. Sometimes you can have a few minutes and be important, today Vini was important. My intention is that everyone contributes to the team. That's going to be the norm.”
Alexander-Arnold was initially booed by Liverpool supporters after he revealed his desire to leave the club. The attitude did appear to change somewhat in the final weeks of the season but it will be interesting to see the reaction he will receive in a white shirt.
In an emotional post on social media, he said: "This is easily the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my life. This club has been my whole life – my whole world - for 20 years. From the Academy right through until now, the support and love I have felt from everyone inside and outside of the club will stay with me forever. I will forever be in debt to you all.
But, I have never known anything else and this decision is about experiencing a new challenge, taking myself out of my comfort zone and pushing myself both professionally and personally.
"I’ve given my all every single day I’ve been at this club, and I hope you feel like I’ve given back to you during my time here.
"From the bottom of my heart, I thank everybody – my coaches, my managers, my teammates, the staff and our incredible supporters - for the last 20 years.
"I’ve been blessed enough to live out my dreams here and I will never, ever take for granted the special moments I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through with you all. My love for this club will never die."
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