Trent Alexander-Arnold continues to hold Sergio Ramos in high esteem despite the simmering tension between Liverpool and the Real Madrid captain.
Ramos has been the target of anger from Reds fans following his part in the shoulder injury Mohamed Salah sustained during last season’s Champions League final.
Jurgen Klopp labelled the 32-year-old’s actions ‘ruthless and brutal’ and he was booed throughout Spain’s 2-1 win over England at Wembley in the Nations League.
Ramos himself has insisted his ‘conscience is really clear’ over the incident and Liverpool teenager Alexander-Arnold, who watched Saturday’s match from the bench, remains deferential to his fellow defender.
‘Everyone has their ways of winning and he has shown over the last 10 years that he’s a winner,’ the Merseyside product said.
‘So has his team. To win the Champions League three times in a row takes some doing.
‘Ramos has probably been the best centre back in the world for some time. Even if he was the enemy in May, you still have to respect him as a player.’
1 – Sergio Ramos is the first Real Madrid player in the UEFA Super Cup history to score in different finals (2016 & 2018). Captain. pic.twitter.com/Z1hxnwsMzJ
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 15, 2018
Alexander-Arnold played the full 90 minutes in Liverpool’s eventual 3-1 loss to Madrid in Kiev and went on to feature for England at the World Cup.
The 19-year-old is soaking up every step of what has been a rapid rise, having only made his Premier League debut in December 2016.
‘I feel I have been very lucky,’ he said.
‘When you are growing up, you have dreams of being a footballer, perhaps even playing for the club you support, and I am living that dream.’
