Xabi Alonso said he was prepared to face a hostile reception when Trent Alexander-Arnold returned to Anfield for the first time with Real Madrid, but admitted he left Liverpool with a “bitter feeling” over the team’s defeat. The England international was booed by the home crowd during his warm-up, and there was even more jeers when he was introduced for the final nine minutes of the Reds’ 1-0 Champions League win on Tuesday night.
Alexander-Arnold, whose mural near the stadium was vandalized earlier in the day, was booed by the enthusiastic home crowd every time he touched the ball, and received a similar reaction as he left the pitch after the final whistle. Asked about the decision to bring on Alexander-Arnold, Alonso said: “It was an intense game and we know the atmosphere at Anfield on a Champions League night, on a European Clasico.”
“We needed his quality, we needed his threat from the wings. (His reception) was as expected. He’s professional and mature. He was ready for it. There were no problems.”
The only goal of the game came just after the hour mark, when Alexis Mac Allister headed in Dominik Szoboszlai’s free kick after Jude Bellingham had committed a foul on Ryan Gravenbirch.
“At half-time we said we needed to be in the game to have a chance, but we conceded a lot of fouls and Thibaut Courtois couldn’t save a header from a set piece. But Thibaut was great,” said Alonso.
“But we have to understand that we can’t commit that many fouls because the game can get away from us like it did today.”
Asked if Real lacked intensity and energy against a lively Liverpool side, Alonso said: “I don’t have that feeling. We competed well, Szoboszlai had a chance in the first half and Thibaut made a great save, but we played with a high rhythm.”
“What we lacked today was probably hurting them in the final third and being a real threat. In the second half, it was just the little things that worked in their favor.”
Alonso continued: “Today was a little difficult for us. I’m not complaining about the team. We did a good job.”
“It was difficult for us. We couldn’t cause problems one-on-one. We leave the game with a bitter feeling, but we have to analyze what we did today. We have to learn from this defeat.”
