Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he only knows what kind of reception he will give to Trent Alexander-Arnold, as the player returns to Anfield for the first time since his summer move to Real Madrid.
Tonight’s Champions League clash will see Alexander-Arnold face his boyhood club just five months after his controversial summer departure. Many fans were unhappy at the academy graduate and vice captain apparently running his contract down to join Los Blancos for just £10m in May.
Now, Slot has admitted that while he doesn’t know how the supporters will react, his own feelings are nothing but positive for Alexander-Arnold.
He said: “I can only tell you the type of reception he will get from me. I have great memories of the player and of a great human being too.
“He was our vice-captain; he was my vice-captain last season. He will get a warm welcome from me and let’s see if he plays tomorrow and how the fans will react. I have no clue how it’s going to be.”
Slot called on the Liverpool fans to bring the same energy as in the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend.
The Dutchman hopes that the Anfield support can make the difference against a Real Madrid side who are in good form and filled with elite talent.
He said: “Show up on Tuesday night, help us again like you did on Saturday. They (the fans) were a big help.
“Now we face a team that’s in great form, like Villa was. It’s always pleasant to play at home because in the run-up we played almost only away games.
“I think Anfield showed at the weekend how important it is for the team. Let’s hope the players in the team and the fans do the same thing on Tuesday night.”
Slot also provided an update on team news, confirming that Alexander Isak will miss the Real Madrid game and is unlikely to feature before Sunday’s league meeting with Manchester City.
He also confirmed that Allison and Jeremie Frimpong will be absent for the Champions League match against Madrid but could return for another heavyweight game at the weekend.
He said: “They’re all pretty unavailable. Jeremy and Alison will be available Sunday. Alex, you have to wait and see. He definitely won’t be starting Sunday but maybe he will be involved in the squad. He’s still not training so we have to wait.”
Slot insisted that his selection for the Real Madrid tie will not be influenced by Sunday’s high-profile Premier League cash against Manchester City.
He said both sides have had similar rest periods and that there was no reason to hold players back.
“I’m not thinking about the game (vs Man City) when it comes to the line-up (against Madrid), because there are four days in between.
“I’ve had a lot of moments this season where there has only been two days in between games, but Tuesday for the first time it’s the same for the opponent. Many other times when we only had two days’ rest, we faced a team that had a week’s rest or three or four days.
“So that’s exactly the same for both teams. So the line-up (against Madrid) will have nothing to do with what happens on Sunday.”
The Liverpool boss praised the Spanish club’s quality and good form coming into the gsme, highlighting how their new signings this season have bolstered an already formidable squad.
He said: “They’ve added a few new players so that can always influence the game, the playing style a little.
“Last season was a very good Real Madrid team, and I think that now as well. They’ve always been in this competition a big force. A very good team.”
