The standout fixture for the next round of the UEFA Champions League group phase is obvious- Real Madrid at Liverpool. And maybe the number one storyline here is Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to Anfield, for the first time as a member of the opposition.
The right back is coming back to his boyhood club, the place where he made 354 appearances.
Real Madrid at Liverpool FC FYIs
Competition: UCL Matchday 4 of 8
Kickoff: Tue. Nov. 4, 8pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Preview Material for Both Sides: Team News Starting XI Predictions
UCL Standing, Form: Liverpool FC 10th, 6 pts, WLW Real Madrid 5th, 9 pts, WWW
Real Madrid vs Liverpool Team News
“No matter what, my feelings won’t change towards Liverpool,” the English full-back responded when asked if receiving a warm reception back on Merseyside would bring him closure about all his time there.
“I have got memories there that will last me a lifetime and no matter how I am received, that won’t change.”
Alexander-Arnold, who left the club in June, recently returned to action, after a hamstring injury layoff. So it will be interesting to seen how much he’ll play in this match.
As for the rest of the Real Madrid team news, it pretty much remains the same. Defenders Dani Carvajal and Antonio Rudiger remain out.
As for Liverpool, their injury situation remains the same as well. However, manager Arne Slot provided an update, at his most recent press conference, on the situations surrounding Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker.
“The other two (Isak and Alisson) are 99.99% for sure, not in the squad,” Slot said.
“I’ve said many times, in the end phase of the injury, things can slow down. A bit can go faster. Let’s wait and see where they are…”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN.