Trent Alexander-Arnold will return to England with Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16
Pep Lijnders can give Pep Guardiola some inside info on Trent Alexander-Arnold(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
As Manchester City prepare to take on Real Madrid in the Champions League, the Spanish side’s new right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold will be able to offer his colleagues plenty of insight into what to expect. Things will go both ways, though, with City assistant manager Pep Lijnders knowing the England international very well.
Lijnders and Alexander-Arnold spent a long time together at Liverpool. The Dutch coach served as No.2 to Jurgen Klopp for two stints, with the second including a Champions League win in 2019 and a Premier League trophy 12 months later.
It was during that period when the Reds’ homegrown defender grew as a player, so much so that many considered him a future Liverpool captain. Lijnders himself was among that number, backing Alexander-Arnold for the armband back in 2021.
“I’m so proud of Trent,” Lijnders told club media during Liverpool’s pre-season tour ahead of the 2021/22 campaign. “He was this natural technical talent when he was just 15 years old. He had all the characteristics I loved: a mentality to win, passionate to improve but his emotions sometimes took control instead of him taking control over the emotions. He trained with so much power and competition.
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“He grew step by step into the wonderful guy he is now, surrounded by a lovely family, he created this superb personality. He has this aggression in a positive way. If someone represents this quote of Bill Shankly it’s him: playing at the highest level isn’t pressure, it’s a reward.
“I still see the same fire in his eyes in each training, but I don’t see this young guy anymore; I see a leader, I see someone who controls his emotions, a future captain. A leader by example.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Pep Lijnders spent time together at Liverpool(Image: VI Images via Getty Images)
“The best clubs have one thing in common, a ‘one club’ mentality. The culture spreads through all departments. It’s great that our talents, the real ones, can make these steps together with our team.”
Alexander-Arnold played a big role the following season as Liverpool pushed for an unprecedented Quadruple. He played 47 times in all competitions as Klopp’s team won both domestic cups but finished a point off top spot in the league and lost the Champions League final.
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The defender spent three more years at Anfield and became vice captain after Virgil van Dijk took the armband. He skippered the side on a number of occasions, including in a Premier League victory over Aston Villa in Klopp’s final season, only to leave for Real Madrid in the summer of 2025.
His new club go into their Champions League meeting with City having required an extra play-off round in Europe, though they finished only one point behind Pep Guardiola’s side in the league phase. The teams have met in each of the last two seasons in Europe, with Madrid winning a knockout play-off last season but City winning in Spain in December 2025.
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Man City have reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 where they face Real Madrid on March 11. Fans can watch the game on the TNT Sports Prime Video channel.
