By Dominic King for The Mail on Sunday
Published: 21:58 BST, 1 June 2019 | Updated: 22:05 BST, 1 June 2019
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The dynamic duo meant business as soon as they walked into the room. It was late on Friday afternoon and Jurgen Klopp had chosen Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson to be Liverpool’s selected pre-game spokesmen.
Dressed in black tracksuits and sporting deadpan expressions, it was clear they had a message to convey. Liverpool were not here to mess about, they were in Madrid to bring their trophy back home; these two full-backs have helped set the tone all season and they did it again.
‘The lads are prepared to put everything on the line for the fans,’ said Alexander-Arnold, whose remarkable rise is best highlighted by the fact he has not yet turned 21 but has already played in two Champions League finals. ‘It’s literally going to be a fight to the end to see who wants it more.’
Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 20, was playing in his second Champions League final
Desire was never going to be a facet that either Alexander-Arnold or Robertson lacked. They are the relentless runners, the scuttlers and scufflers who have helped make Liverpool’s defence one of the meanest in Europe. ‘No parasan’ would be the Spanish phrase that sums them up: they will not pass.
But there is more to them than just defending. They are the wingmen who dashing raids have yielded more than 20 assists, none better than the impudent corner Alexander-Arnold whipped into Divock Origi to send Liverpool marching to the Wanda Metropolitano.
How they performed – and how Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier handled them – was always going to be crucial to the outcome of this contest and there were a few significant incidents in the opening 20 minutes that showed why Liverpool were in control.
Alexander-Arnold
