Arnold: Technically, La Liga is better than the Premier League. Alonso is my idol and he can continue to play!

In an interview, Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold talked about his old club Liverpool, the decision to move to Real Madrid, Xavi Alonso and other topics.

On the reaction of Liverpool fans

- How the fans treat me is their choice. I will always love this club and will always be a fan. I'm forever grateful for the opportunities I've been given and what we've accomplished together...they will stay with me forever. No matter what, my feelings for Liverpool will not change. I have many lifelong memories there and that will never change no matter how I am treated.

On whether there will be celebrations when scoring goals at Anfield

- You have to put emotions aside and play the game to the best of your ability. But if I score, I won't celebrate. Absolutely not.

About "Agent Bellingham" and the decision to leave the team

- There is a lot of speculation... About "Agent Bellingham", this was mainly in his first season at Real Madrid... When we met at the England national team training camp, everyone wanted to know the situation behind Real Madrid... He said the atmosphere there was great and he had never seen anything like it. He spoke very highly of the club's desire and anticipation for victory.

Finally I made up my mind that I needed a change and I wanted a new challenge, both on and off the court. He's a great guy and we're very good friends. Having a friend who spoke English and was familiar with each other made it much easier to adapt to my new environment. The pace of La Liga is slightly slower and does not emphasize transitions and physical confrontations like the Premier League, but it is also difficult in other aspects. To be honest, on a technical level, La Liga is better than the Premier League.

Messages about former teammates

- After the draw came out, Robertson, Salah and Konate all sent me messages and we were all laughing. When the draw was announced, everyone knew this match was destined to happen. It's going to be a very tough game and the atmosphere there will add to the difficulty. Despite their recent poor results, they (Liverpool) are still a top team and no one expected this to be an easy game.

On playing for Real Madrid

- It's a surreal moment, I've been through a lot in my career, but it's a huge milestone. Playing for the home team in such an iconic stadium is a much better feeling than the visiting team.

About the first conversation with Alonso

- I remember that game in Istanbul very clearly, I don’t know if it’s a natural memory or because I watched the tape so many times. I can remember how Xavi Alonso played and what a great player he was. I told him when I first spoke to him that when I was a kid watching him and Gerrard play, I realized passing was an art.

When they pass the ball, the sound is different. You can hear a good pass, that's the sound of the ball being hit, it sounds different. It’s hard to describe, but if you understand it, you understand it. He's my idol, he's someone I look up to and I practice a lot of the passes he makes. Even now in training, he's still showing off his passing skills. He can still keep playing! His understanding of the game is pure.