Theo Squires was at the AXA Training Centre for Liverpool's open training session ahead of facing Real Madrid, where Trent Alexander-Arnold was the dominant name on the lips of the Spanish media present
Trent Alexander-Arnold during a Real Madrid training session
Trent Alexander-Arnold could make his Anfield return after moving to Liverpool from Real Madrid in the summer
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It was busy as usual for Liverpool at the AXA Training Centre on Monday as they took part in open training ahead of their Champions League clash with Real Madrid. While plenty had been made of Xabi Alonso’s decision to snub the opportunity for the La Liga giants to train at Anfield ahead of the clash, in Spain at least, the Reds have no interest in such sideshows.
Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday night, beating Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch.
And they will now be hoping to build on such a result against Madrid as they look to put a wretched October behind them once and for all.
For Arne Slot’s men, it was a training session like any other - albeit one that featured a few more unfamiliar faces than normal to emphasise one point made by the Dutchman in recent days.
Curtis Jones handed the Reds head coach a welcome boost as he returned to training, but Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker remained absent along with Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni, the latter out for the long-term with a knee injury.
As a result, Slot’s options remain limited after he insisted he does not boast the depth of the likes of Man City and Chelsea. Such comments earned him derisory retorts from outsiders after a £450m summer transfer spending spree.
But like it or not, the sight of youngsters Kaide Gordon, Calvin Ramsay, Tommy Pilling and Wellity Lucky joining Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni in training with the senior ranks proves such a point.
Yet while it was just another day at the office for Slot’s side, the rather increased number of gathered media present at the open training session told its own story.
Liverpool vs Real Madrid will always be one of the biggest shows in town, with the two continental juggernauts boasting 21 European Cups between them.
But with Trent Alexander-Arnold returning to Anfield for the first time since leaving the Reds, there is a rather obvious elephant in the room ahead of Tuesday night’s game.
And it did not take long for the Spanish media present at Kirkby to address it with their English counterparts.
Ahead of the start of training, a number of Spanish TV channels used the time to interview their peers about two of the bigger talking points ahead of the game
“What reception do you think Trent will get back at Anfield?” asked one. “What did you make of Alonso’s decision not to train at Anfield?” queried another.
It is worth pointing out that Liverpool have opted to train at their own base rather than a host side’s stadium ahead of European away days for a number of years now, with Alonso’s decision a ‘non-event’ on Merseyside as a result.
The only exceptions have come ahead of finals, with the most recent being in Paris before the Reds faced Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final.
Where the La Liga giants choose to train ahead of Tuesday night is of no concern to Slot’s side. But there is no escaping the fact that Alexander-Arnold’s return is a big story.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold is returning to Anfield
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Returning from a hamstring injury last month, the England international is yet to make an appearance since his comeback - despite Dani Carvajal again being injured.
It would be a big call from Alonso to thrust him straight back into the starting XI in familiar surroundings on Merseyside.
Having bemoaned the eyes of ‘200 cameras’ when explaining his decision to snub training at Anfield, only the former Red - who is making his own Anfield return - will know how much the Alexander-Arnold sideshow contributed to his decision.
When Real Madrid last came to Anfield last November, the Liverpool vice-captain’s contract saga was very much ongoing. Returning from injury to face the Spanish giants, he was left unused on the bench as the Reds ran out 2-0 winners.
But both Carlo Ancelotti and Jude Bellingham had to dodge questions about the defender when on pre-match press duties as speculation tipping Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu continued.
He had been the talking point when Spanish media approached their English counterparts on that occasion too.
It is perhaps telling that the futures of the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Alexis Mac Allister, who have also found themselves frequently linked with moves to Madrid, has become more of an afterthought ahead of Tuesday night’s game.
The France international, like Alexander-Arnold last year, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been tipped to become Real's next high-profile Bosman signing.
After helping Liverpool keep a clean sheet for the first time in 11 games against Villa, the centre-back cut a relaxed figure at the AXA Training Centre. Ahead of training, he joked alongside compatriot Hugo Ekitike.
And once the session got underway, he earned teasing jeers from his team-mates after knocking over a hurdle in one exercise.
But rather than his future being a big talking point among the gathered media, Alexander-Arnold very much remains the dominant topic.
Perhaps not in the Liverpool camp, though.
Virgil van Dijk sidestepped questions about his former team-mate when speaking following Saturday’s win over Aston Villa, revealing he had not spoken much to Alexander-Arnold since his exit and refused to be drawn on what type of Anfield atmosphere should await.
Liverpool are a big name in their own right and Alexander-Arnold is their past. Having successfully navigated the transfer circus last year when Real Madrid came to town, Slot will be hoping it can be a similar story for the Reds again 12 months on.
Also facing Madrid and Man City in a mouth-watering double-header last Autumn, it was a defining week in Liverpool’s season as back-to-back wins helped propel them onto Premier League glory.
They find themselves in rather different circumstances now, with their run of six defeats in seven games only prompting talk of how the Reds were missing the likes of Alexander-Arnold.
But now back to winning ways, they will be looking to block out such noise once more.
Real Madrid, Alexander-Arnold and Alonso might be coming to town, but it really is just business as usual on Merseyside.