Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota outside Anfield | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold paid tribute to former Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota on his first return to Anfield with Real Madrid.

Alexander-Arnold is preparing to face his former club for the first time since his controversial summer move to the Spanish giants in tonight’s Champions League game, and could face a hostile reception from the Liverpool supporters.

But Alexander-Arnold, 27, was part of a delegation from Real Madrid that laid a floral tribute to Jota and his brother Andre Silva outside Anfield.

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(Action Images via Reuters)

Accompanied by head coach and former Liverpool great Xabi Alonso and defender Dean Huijsen, Alexander-Arnold presented his own personal tribute with a note that read: “My mate Diogo, you are so missed but still so loved. Yours and Andre’s memories will always live on. I smile every time I think about you and will always remember the great times we shared. Miss you mate every day. Love Trent and family.”

Huijsen and Real Madrid’s director of football Emilio Butragueno presented the club’s official tribute alongside Alexander-Arnold’s.

Alexander-Arnold and Jota were team-mates for five seasons at Anfield, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups during that spell. Alexander-Arnold was booed by some Liverpool fans after his move to Real Madrid was made public, with the Reds receiving a £8.4m fee from Real Madrid at the end of his contract.

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A picture shows a message from Trent Alexander-Arnold and family (AFP via Getty Images)

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Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen pay tribute (AFP via Getty Images)

The right back is returning from a spell on the sidelines after injury disrupted his start to life at Real Madrid, so may not be part of Alonso’s starting line-up. But his head coach urged Alexander-Arnold to enjoy his return to his boyhood club.

"We haven't spoken about that precisely, but we have spoken about the team, the club," said Alonso, who also swapped Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2009. "He has to have his own feelings and enjoy it his own way, so I am not going to say how he needs to feel.

"For sure his history is different from mine, he was born and bred in Liverpool, I remember him from a young age in the academy and then coming to the first team and winning the Champions League. So he needs to enjoy that moment because it is nice to be back and for him it is going to be nice."

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot said: "I have great memories of the player and the human being. He was my vice-captain last season and I have memories of working with him which were only positive. How the fans.... I have no clue how that's going to be but he gets a warm welcome from me, that's for sure."