Real Madrid starting line-up ‘leaked’ to face Liverpool ‘barring any surprises’

It is one of those nights that football fans around the world dream about — the kind of night that carries stories of heartbreak, loyalty, betrayal, and redemption. Liverpool versus Real Madrid at Anfield. But this one feels different. This one carries a storm of emotion because of one man: Trent Alexander-Arnold.

For the first time since leaving his boyhood club, Trent is back at Anfield, not as a hero wearing red, but as an opponent dressed in the famous white of Real Madrid. It’s a sight many Liverpool fans never imagined they would see. The Scouser who grew up dreaming of representing Liverpool, who lifted trophies under the floodlights of this very stadium, is now set to sit on the bench for Real Madrid — the same Madrid that broke Liverpool hearts in two Champions League finals.

Reports from Spain suggest that Trent won’t start the game. Marca claims that Xabi Alonso — the former Liverpool midfielder now managing Madrid — will stick with the same line-up that defeated Barcelona in El Clasico. That means Federico Valverde will once again fill in at right-back, while Trent watches from the sidelines, waiting for a possible late cameo at the ground that made him a global star.

It has been a strange start for Trent in Madrid. Since joining in the summer after running down his Liverpool contract, things haven’t gone as smoothly as he might have hoped. Only five appearances so far, a hamstring injury that slowed his adaptation, and questions in Spain about whether he fits into Alonso’s tactical system. For someone who once defined the modern full-back role with his passing, creativity, and intelligence, sitting on the bench feels almost cruel.

Yet, here he is, back where it all began — the same stadium where he delivered those unforgettable assists, where he lifted the Premier League and the Champions League, where he was once hailed as the pride of Liverpool. But tonight, his name might be greeted with a mix of applause and anger. Some will clap for what he gave. Others will boo for how he left.

Liverpool fans have not forgotten the summer saga. Many were heartbroken, even furious, when he decided not to renew his contract and walk away for free. Some saw it as betrayal. Others said it was ambition — a player chasing a new challenge, a different culture, a chance to play in Spain alongside Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., and Kylian Mbappé. Real Madrid offered him glamour, new scenery, and the dream of wearing the white shirt that every world-class player eventually wants to try. But Liverpool fans only saw what they lost: their local hero, their captain-in-waiting, leaving for almost nothing.

The club received a mere £10 million as compensation, a small fee that Madrid agreed to pay just to register him early for the upcoming expanded Club World Cup. For Liverpool, it felt like the final twist of the knife. They had raised him, trusted him, and watched him grow into one of Europe’s finest full-backs — only to lose him for almost nothing to the same team that had tormented them for years.

Yet, football has a strange way of writing stories. Xabi Alonso, another Anfield legend, is now the man coaching Trent at Madrid. At his pre-match press conference, Alonso spoke calmly, choosing his words with care when asked about the Englishman’s return to Anfield. “He’s fine, he’s available,” Alonso said. “He didn’t play the other day because of the context of the game. But he can play. We need him — he has great quality.”

Then Alonso paused, his tone softening slightly. “It’s a new stage for him, both sporting and personal. We have to help him because he’s an exceptional footballer. He has to enjoy this game in his own way. His story is different to mine. He was born here. I remember when he was a little boy in the academy. It’s nice to be back — and it’s going to be nice for him.”

The words were respectful, gentle — almost fatherly. Xabi Alonso knows what Anfield can do to your heart. He was once in Trent’s place, adored by the fans, winning trophies, then leaving for Madrid to start a new chapter. He knows that strange pain of walking back through the tunnel as a visitor, hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone echo through the stands, knowing it once belonged to you.

Tonight, Liverpool will line up full of confidence. Arne Slot’s men are in strong form, having beaten Aston Villa 2–0 in their last Premier League match. The energy around the club feels alive again — a mix of youth, pressing, and the fierce Anfield spirit that every European night demands. But facing Madrid is never easy.

According to reports, Alonso’s Madrid will field a powerful side: Courtois in goal; Valverde, Éder Militão, Carreras, and Güler forming a flexible backline; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, and Bellingham controlling the midfield; and a terrifying front three of Vinicius Jr., Bellingham (in an advanced role), and Kylian Mbappé. It’s a line-up that oozes class and firepower, even without Trent.

The inclusion of Bellingham and Mbappé adds another layer to the narrative. Both players have been linked with Liverpool at different times. Both chose Madrid. And now, both return to face the team that once courted them, with Trent — Liverpool’s lost son — sitting beside them. It almost feels like destiny playing a cruel joke on Liverpool supporters.

For Trent, tonight will be emotional no matter what happens. Even if he doesn’t play a single minute, stepping onto the Anfield pitch during warm-up, seeing the Kop rise, hearing the songs, and feeling the familiar air will stir something deep inside him. The memories will come rushing back — that corner against Barcelona, the Champions League nights, the celebrations with Klopp, the hugs with Henderson, and the tears after tough defeats.

He may smile, he may look composed, but inside, it will hurt. Every corner of Anfield will remind him of what he left behind.

Liverpool fans, too, are torn. Many still love him; they can’t just erase what he gave. Others believe loyalty should have meant more. Some plan to cheer. Some plan to turn their backs. But all will watch him — the hometown boy who once symbolized their club, now wearing enemy colors.

Pep Guardiola once called Trent “a player who redefined full-back football.” Jurgen Klopp described him as “a boy who became a man right in front of our eyes.” Those words remain true. But now, under Xabi Alonso, Trent must prove he can reinvent himself once more — not as Liverpool’s golden son, but as a Madridista in search of a new identity.

If he does come on tonight, all eyes will be on him. Every touch will be judged. Every cross, every pass, every defensive duel will carry emotion. For a moment, time will stop at Anfield — the boy who once ruled this ground returning as the opposition.

When the referee blows the final whistle, Trent will likely walk off quietly. He’ll clap the fans, maybe share a brief hug with old teammates, perhaps even exchange a few words with Arne Slot. The cameras will follow him, searching for emotion in his face. And somewhere, deep inside, Trent Alexander-Arnold will know that no matter how far he travels or how many trophies he wins, Anfield will always be the place that made him — and the place that will never truly let him go.

For Xabi Alonso, it’s a tactical battle. For Liverpool, it’s a test of European strength. But for Trent Alexander-Arnold, this night is something far greater. It’s a chapter of closure, a reminder of love and loss — the moment when the boy from West Derby faces the echoes of his own legend.

And under the lights of Anfield, in front of a sea of red that once chanted his name, that emotion will be impossible to hide.