Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Tuesday brings an incredibly exciting game for Liverpool supporters to get stuck into.

The Reds enjoyed what felt like a big weekend of Premier League action, beating Brighton to go top of the table as both Arsenal and Man City suffered defeat.

The new week brings Champions League action and a return to the club for former favourite Xabi Alonso.

Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen will provide a stern test for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, but while the game on the pitch is set to be a good one, plenty of eyes will be drawn to what’s happening off it.

Alonso could have been Liverpool manager right now had things gone differently in the summer.

And as the Spaniard returns to Anfield for the first time as a coach, he has already underlined part of the reason why fans were desperate to see him back at his old club.



Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images

Although he played on for eight years after leaving Liverpool in 2009, Alonso never did return as a player.

The 42-year-old has been back in the year’s since to play in Liverpool legends matches, but that isn’t quite the same as coming back for a game under the lights in the Champions League.

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

As a result, although he had no interest in returning to coach his old team over the summer, Tuesday’s game will no doubt be special for Alonso.

Ahead of the clash, the former No.14 faced the media at Anfield.

And according to the Liverpool ECHO, plenty of Merseyside based journalists turned up to hear what Alonso had to say.

READ MORE: Arne Slot details if Ibrahima Konate is available for Liverpool to face Bayer Leverkusen

Though there were more than four hours between Slot speaking and Alonso doing the same, plenty of reporters are said to have stayed on to see the Liverpool Champions League winner.

And having previewed the match, Xabi is said to have then made a classy gesture towards those same journalists.

Reportedly recognising several faces from his time at the club, Alonso is claimed to have ‘walked over with a smile to greet them and shake every one of their hands’ after he had finished his media duties.

All class.

Obviously, Slot’s wonderful start as Liverpool head coach has erased any lingering wish to have seen Alonso named as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

Nevertheless, there would surely have been something very special about seeing the World Cup winner installed over the summer.

There have been claims that Alonso could be on his way to Real Madrid next year and as another one of his former teams, you can really see that happening.

Even if it does, though, it has been claimed that Alonso would still like to manage Liverpool one day.

Perhaps the end of a successful stint in Madrid will line up with Slot taking his leave following a glorious period with Liverpool, who knows.

For now, though, we hope Xabi does not enjoy his return to Anfield.
For more news relating to Arsenal, visit our sister site AFC Latest Live.