The soccer world is ready for an emotional reunion tonight as within the UEFA Champions League, with all eyes on Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The English full-back returns to Anfield for the primary time since leaving the Reds final summer time to affix Los Blancos, and his comeback has sparked loads of dialogue each in Spain and England.
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For Alexander-Arnold, this fixture carries deep private significance. He might be strolling out towards gamers who have been as soon as teammates, shut associates, and day by day companions within the Liverpool dressing room.
Amongst them stands Virgil van Dijk, the towering Dutch defender who shared a number of the membership’s most profitable years with the defender below Jurgen Klopp.
Reception for Trent
Van Dijk was requested about Alexander-Arnold’s return, and the defender gave a sometimes calm and reserved response.
“We’ll see how the followers obtain him. I’m not going to say I desire a hostile atmosphere. I’m not going to touch upon it,” mentioned the centre-back.
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When pressed additional on how he personally feels about his former teammate, Van Dijk selected to stay diplomatic, providing solely a short acknowledgement of Alexander-Arnold’s affect on the membership.
Trent Alexander Arnold will return to Anfield. (Picture by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Photographs)
“Do you (the press) need it to be hostile? I feel he was an important participant at Liverpool, that’s all I’m going to say,” added the Dutchman.
No dangerous blood
Whereas many anticipated a extra emotional response, Van Dijk’s tone remained impartial.
He admitted that his contact with Trent has been restricted for the reason that switch, however insisted there isn’t a dangerous blood between them.
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“It’s not one thing private, clearly, I’ve my life right here and he has his in Madrid. Trent is a participant with lots of high quality, and he has proven that right here for a few years.
“It has been essential to us all this time. I used to be very proud of him in my group and collectively we have now achieved lots of issues, however now he’s a rival.
“If he performs, we should make issues very troublesome for him,” he defined to the media.
The Dutch defender’s restrained feedback mirror the .
Many Liverpool supporters have been surprised and even angered by his choice to go away. Van Dijk, conscious of that sentiment, seems decided to maintain his give attention to the match moderately than reopen previous wounds.
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