Liverpool boss Arne Slot says Trent Alexander-Arnold is available to face Real Madrid in the Champions League – but hopes to be in a position not to use him.
Alexander-Arnold, who has been strongly linked with a move to the defending European champions, has been out since being forced off with a hamstring injury against Aston Villa on 9 November.
The England defender, who pulled out of the recent Nations League games with the injury, trained with the Liverpool squad on Tuesday.
“Trent is in the squad but will not be available to start,” said Slot.
“He can maybe make a few minutes but in an ideal world he maybe doesn’t. If it’s really necessary he can make a few minutes.”
Alexander-Arnold, 26, is out of contract in the summer along with Egypt forward Mohamed Salah and the Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk.
“I am sorry but I cannot speak about Alexander-Arnold,” Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday. “He is not my player.”
Liverpool defender Andy Robertson was asked about Alexander-Arnold on Tuesday and said that his team-mate could get “even better”.
“He’s one of, if not the, best right-back in the world and he shows that year on year,” added Robertson.
“He’s still young enough to get even better and that’s the main thing for him. He’s got a will to succeed, a will to learn and he’s a pleasure to play with. We have grown together in the full-back role and I’ve enjoyed doing that with him.”
Liverpool have won all four of their Champions League group-phase games so far but have not beaten Real in eight attempts since 2009.
“I consider Liverpool with a lot of repect,” added Ancelotti, who managed Liverpool’s neighbours Everton between December 2019 and June 2021.
“Liverpool is a fantastic club with fantastic supporters. But I am still an Evertonian.”
