Liverpool vs Bayer Leverkusen: Champions League – live | Champions League

Xabi Alonso speaks to Amazon Prime Video (whose panel also includes his old dance partner Frank Lampard)

It feels great to be back. It can't get better than a Champions League game at Anfield. The new stand looks fantastic and we are really looking forward to the game.

(Lampard: Have you told your players about the Anfield atmosphere?) Not too much, not too much. We concentrate more on the opponent. Surely there comes a moment at Anfield when you have to have a plan, so let's see.

It's all about football and playing against Liverpool, who are probably the best team in Europe at the moment. It's a great game for us, probably our toughest (in the league phase).

We have to play with personality, courage and ideas. If we can do that, it will be enough to get something from Anfield.

Forty is the new thirty

Xabi Alonso on his return to Anfield

Arne Slot speaks to Amazon Prime Video

One of the strengths this team has had for years is that they know they can fight back and we had to do that against Brighton because the first half was pretty bad from our side and very good from Brighton. I don't think there was a little more intensity in the second half, but a lot more!

(On his team selection tonight) We only have four attackers available at the moment and there are still a lot of games to play. I decided not to play against Darwin because he has been playing a lot lately and today is a good match against Lucho.

It looks like they have changed their system to play with three midfielders. We must be prepared for both scenarios.

(Is it a special night?) I look forward to every home game, especially in Europe, and this is one of them. The next one (Real Madrid) is also pretty big.

“Is it too iconoclastic? “To say that Alonso wasn't the same player at Liverpool after Lampard broke his ankle?” says Niall Mullen. “Don’t get me wrong, he was better than Christian Poulsen, but in my worthless opinion he became a much better player after leaving Anfield (possibly due to the slower pace in La Liga). Then again, I was there (and completely confused) when he did that, so what do I know?”

Wasn't the broken leg in the middle of his first season? After that he achieved a lot, including that wonderful assist (typical Cole Palmer) and at least 48 goals from his own half. But as a Liverpool fan, you know better than me.

Team news: Konate ready to go

preamble