Liverpool manager Arne Slot has confirmed that he will be giving Real Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold a warm welcome back to Anfield, although he ‘cannot say what the fans’ reaction will be’. Slot also confirmed three key absences.

Real Madrid will go into the game without Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and now Franco Mastantuono, after a groin injury was confirmed on Monday. Meanwhile Slot told LFC media that Alexander Isak, Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong would all be absent against Real Madrid, with the former’s fitness for their tie with Manchester City up in the air this weekend.

‘I will give him a warm reception’ – Slot on Trent’s return

Ahead of the game, Xabi Alonso also spoke about Alexander-Arnold’s return, stating that it would be a special occasion, but even more so for the England international, who grew up there. Slot said he would be receiving him with open arms.

“I can only tell you what kind of a reception he will get from me. I have great memories of the player and the human being. He was our vice-captain, he was my vice-captain last season. I have memories working with him that were only positive and I have memories from when I was watching him in front of the television which are only positive as well.”

#LFC manager Arne Slot says that he will be giving Trent Alexander-Arnold a warm welcome back to Anfield. #RealMadrid

— Football España (@footballespana_) November 4, 2025

“I can remember multiple great moments of him wearing the Liverpool shirt. So, he will get a warm welcome by me. Let’s first wait and see if he’s on the pitch tomorrow and how our fans will react. I have no clue how that’s going to be. But he gets a warm welcome from me, that’s for sure.”

‘I see a lot of similarities between Alonso and Ancelotti’s side’

Much of the focus of the press conference was on what has changed for Real Madrid, having lost 2-0 at Anfield last year, and seen themselves thoroughly bested.

“For me, it is hard to compare this game with last season. I just said it already because last season when they played here they had many injuries and now they haven’t – and they kept a lot of the team the same. I see a lot of similarities between last season [and this]. Xabi [Alonso] is doing an incredible job at Madrid but Carlo Ancelotti did the same; he won a lot.”

“They’ve added a few new players, so that can always influence playing style maybe a little, but I saw last season a very good Real Madrid – and I see that now as well. They have always been a big force in this competition; I don’t know how many semi-finals or more they’ve played in the last few years. A very good team, but we are a very good team as well.”

‘They were successful for multiple years under Ancelotti’

Questions continued to zero in on what alterations Alonso had made to Real Madrid’s forward line, with Rodrygo Goes no longer playing much of a role.

“The first question you shouldn’t ask me, you should ask him because I don’t know what he did. Like I said, they were for multiple years with Carlo Ancelotti very successful. How many Champions Leagues did Carlo win over there at Madrid? Three? That’s not too bad! We can only talk with a lot of respect about his career over there. Now Xabi does very well – they only lost one game and won the rest.”