Xabi Alonso reacts to his Real Madrid side's 1-0 Champions League loss to his, and the returning Trent Alexander-Arnold's, former club Liverpool at Anfield
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid speaks to coach Xabi Alonso before entering the field as a substitute during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD4 match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid C.F. at Anfield on November 04, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Trent Alexander-Arnold speaks to Xabi Alonso before entering the field as a substitute during the Champions League match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at Anfield
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Xabi Alonso has insisted Trent Alexander-Arnold was ready for the hostile reception he received on his first return to Anfield with Real Madrid after leaving Liverpool in the summer. Alexander-Arnold was jeered by the home crowd during the warm-up and when he was introduced for the final nine minutes of the Reds’ 1-0 Champions League win on Tuesday evening.
The England international, whose mural near the stadium was defaced earlier in the day, then had his every touch booed by a raucous home crowd before being similarly greeted when leaving after the final whistle.
And when asked why he chose to bring on Alexander-Arnold, Alonso said: “It was an intense game, and we know the atmosphere in Anfield on a Champions League night in a European 'Clasico'. We needed his quality and we needed his threat from the wing.
“(His reception) could be expected. He is professional and mature. He was ready for that, no problem.”
Alexis Mac Allister scored the only goal shortly after the hour when heading home a Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick after Jude Bellingham was booked for a foul on Ryan Gravenberch.
And Alonso said: “At half-time we said we needed to be in the game to have an opportunity but then we conceded a lot of fouls and Thibaut Courtois wasn’t able to save that header from the set-piece. Thibaut, though, was fantastic.
“But we have to understand we can’t commit so many fouls as the game could get away from us like it did today.”
Asked if he felt Real had lacked intensity and energy up against a vibrant Liverpool, Alonso said: “I don’t have those feelings. We competed well, Szoboszlai had an opportunity in the first half and Thibaut made a great save but we played at a high rhythm.
“What we were lacking today was perhaps to hurt them in the final third and be a real threat.
“In the second half it was just about the small details that fell in their favour.”
Alonso added: “It was a bit difficult for us today. I’m not going to complain about my team, we gave it a good go.
“It was difficult for us. In our one-on-ones we weren’t able to cause problems.
“We leave with a bitter taste in the mouth but we have to analyse what we did today. We have to learn from these defeats.”