Arne Slot fires Liverpool reunion message to Trent Alexander-Arnold amid nervous wait
As Liverpool were preparing to face Real Madrid, Arne Slot fired a message to those wondering about the reception Trent Alexander-Arnold may get at Anfield
by Patrick Austen-Hardy · The MirrorLiverpool manager Arne Slot said he has not even thought about the Anfield reception Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold will receive. The England international returned to Merseyside for the first time since his controversial exit.
He departed Liverpool at the end of his contract, although his former side did receive a fee for him due to the Spaniards' keenness to include him in their Club World Cup squad. Many months later, Alexander-Arnold was declared fit to make the squad of Xabi Alonso's side, after many weeks of injuries.
The right-back's return to the city he was born in has been the sub-plot for their Champions League encounter. Despite plenty of attention being paid to Alexander-Arnold's return, Slot said he has not even thought about it.
Before the game, the Dutchman said: "I have no clue. I don't even know if there is a reception if he does the warm-up before the game.
"That's not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this game. First, it's the ones that play for me and then the ones that play for Real Madrid that I'm thinking about.
"Of course, if Trent comes in he can impact the game with the ball, I know, more than anyone else. I definitely know because he did this last season a few times. [He is] An incredible player and a great human being as well."
Before the game, Alexander-Arnold admitted he has no control over how the fans will greet him when he returned to Anfield. He said: "Mixed emotions, whatever way I'm received is the decision of the fans."
"No matter what, my feelings 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."
Before the match, Alexander-Arnold laid floral tributes at the Anfield memorial for the late Diogo Jota and the Portuguese ace's brother Andre Silva. He was joined by former Liverpool midfielder now Real manager Xabi Alonso.
Before the match, the Spaniard, who also left the Reds to join Real all the way back in the summer of 2009, urged Alexander-Arnold to enjoy his return to the club. In his pre-match press conference, he said: “We haven’t spoken about that precisely [the reception that awaits Alexander-Arnold]
"But we have spoken about the team and the club. He has to have his own feelings and enjoy it his own way.
"So I am not going to say how he needs to feel it. For sure his history is different from mine, he was born and bred in Liverpool.
"I remember him from a young age in the academy and then coming to the first team and winning the Champions League. So he needs to enjoy the moment because it is nice to be back.”
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