Liverpool has a reunion with Alvaro Arbeloa on the cards over the weekend, when taking on Fulham, with the star having plenty of links to the Reds beyond his playing days.
Fernando Torres during the tribute to Antoine Griezmann after the Spanish League, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Atletico de Madrid and Girona FC
Fernando Torres once got caught in an altercation with Alvaro Arbeloa(Image: (Photo By Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images))
Alvaro Arbeloa is set for his return to Anfield, years on from featuring there for Liverpool as a player, as he takes to management with Fulham.
The London side travel to Merseyside on Saturday in search of three points, where the manager will also be reunited with Andoni Iraola, after the pair previously played together for the Spanish national team.
It continues to show the links between Arbeloa, both past and present, with the former defender now looking to get one over his old club.
There have been other links with Liverpool in the past, even in his management career, as the Fulham boss previously clashed with Fernando Torres.
Both Liverpool stars took to management, but on different sides of Madrid, as Arbeloa joined the Real Madrid youth setup, while Torres started off with Atletico Madrid.
After spending over two years as teammates at Anfield, their paths crossed again when managing their respective under-19 teams, but it wasn't exactly a happy reunion between them.
The pair were very animated on the touchline during a meeting in 2023, which came to blows, as Torres pushed Arbeloa and was alleged to have said: "I'll blow your head off."
Arbeloa was claimed to have responded: "Start whenever you want." The pair were subsequently sent off, following the dispute on the sidelines, as coaches had to separate them.
Over three years on from that scuffle, the pair have been on some different paths. Torres got promoted from the under-19s to become the Atletico Madrid B team manager, overseeing the side ever since.
As for Arbeloa, he was handed a chance to oversee the Real Madrid senior side last season as interim, before he left and took on the job at Fulham.
Alvaro Arbeloa manager of Fulham before the Premier League 2026/27 match between Fulham and Crystal Palace FC at Craven Cottage
Andoni Iraola revealed his previous battles with Arbeloa(Image: (Photo by Pedro Porru/MB Media/Getty Images))
It remains to be seen how the former Liverpool stars will continue to progress in their post-playing careers, with more and more players from their generation taking to coaching.
Arbeloa could come back to haunt the Reds as Fulham boss when he takes his new team to Anfield over the weekend, in search of a first win this season.
As for Torres, it remains to be seen whether he will take the leap into managing a senior side or whether he is content coaching in age-group soccer.