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Xabi Alonso has admitted he hasn’t spoken to Trent Alexander-Arnold about the reception he could get upon his return to Liverpool.
The Reds’ former vice-captain will be back at Anfield for the first time since his summer exit as Liverpool hosts Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday. Much of the talk ahead of the game has surrounded Alexander-Arnold, and the reaction he could get from the home supporters.
Although he is set for a warm welcome from his former teammates, the same can’t be guaranteed from the Liverpool fans - many of whom are still unhappy with the manner in which he left the club.
Alexander-Arnold was greeted with boos even before he officially left Anfield, having announced his decision to depart at the end of his contract shortly after the Premier League title had been wrapped up.
Liverpool would end up getting a small fee from Real, but Alexander-Arnold’s exit left a bitter taste for a lot of supporters, and it's anticipated that he will receive some backlash upon his return to Anfield.
Asked whether he had spoken to Alexander-Arnold about the reception he could receive, Alonso said during his pre-match press conference: “No, we haven’t talked about that.
“We have talked about the team, about the club, and he has to have his own feelings, and he has to enjoy it in his own way.
“I cannot tell him how he needs to feel it. For sure, it’s a little bit different from me, he’s born and bred in Liverpool, I remember him from a young age in the academy, coming into the first-team, winning the Champions League, so he deserves to enjoy that moment because it’s nice to be back, and for him it’s going to be nice.”
Alexander-Arnold has only returned from injury recently, having picked up a hamstring problem on his Champions League debut for Real that, for a long time, looked to have put his return to Anfield in some jeopardy.
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The 27-year-old was an unused substitute during the 4-0 win over Valencia on Sunday, but he has been included in the squad for tomorrow’s game, with Alonso brushing off any concerns over his fitness.
“He’s good, he didn’t play because of the context of the game, but he’s available to play any number of minutes,” Alonso said.
“Tomorrow he may play, and then after the injury he had, we need his qualities. He’s in a new stage, sporting, physically and mentally. We need to give him what he needs because he’s an exceptional player that we have in our squad.”
Tuesday’s game will not only be a major occasion for Alexander-Arnold, but also his manager. Alonso of course knows all about the history of Liverpool in Europe, and just what a game against Real Madrid represents.
“It’s a clasico of European football - Liverpool because of their history, because they’re in the Champions League. It’s one of those games the fans are really looking forward to seeing,” Alonso remarked.
“Trent and myself have our history here at Liverpool, and it’s always great to come to a place where they’ve loved you so much, but we’re coming to do our thing tomorrow, which is to play well and to come away with a result.”
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