Right-back was booed by Anfield crowd earlier this year and it is uncertain how they will react to his return
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has said he will personally welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold back warmly when the former vice-captain returns to Anfield with Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Alexander-Arnold ended a 21-year stay at the club in the summer and signed for Real Madrid on a free transfer in July. He returns to Anfield with his new side while memories of what many supporters considered a betrayal are still fresh in their minds.
The defender was booed by the home crowd in one of his last appearances at Anfield and it is uncertain how they will react on Tuesday.
“I can only tell you what kind of reception he gets from me,” said Slot. “I have great memories of the player and the human being.
“He was my vice-captain last season and I have memories of working with him which were only positive. I can remember multiple great moments of his in a Liverpool shirt.
“He will get a warm welcome from me. Let’s first wait and see if he is on the pitch tomorrow. How the fans react, I have no clue, but he gets a warm welcome from me, that’s for sure.”
Alexander-Arnold has only just returned to the Madrid squad after being out for weeks due to a hamstring injury, so it is unclear how many minutes he will get at Anfield.
Regardless, Liverpool face a stern test against a Madrid side who have only dropped points once in 14 games. Slot’s side beat Madrid at this stage of the Champions League at Anfield last November, but their form has plummeted since then.
“For me it is hard to compare this game with last season,” said Slot. “Last season they had many injuries and now they haven’t, and they have kept a lot of the team the same.
“Xabi [Alonso] is doing an incredible job in Madrid but Carlo Ancelotti did the same. They have added a few players, so that can influence things, but I saw last season a really good Real Madrid.
“They have always been in this competition a big force. They’ve won it 15 times. They are a very good team, but we are a very good team as well.”
