Carlo Ancelotti declared he is "still an Evertonian" as the Real Madrid coach attempts to halt Liverpool's perfect Champions League start on his return to Merseyside.
Ancelotti managed Everton between 2019 and 2021 before returning for a second spell with Los Blancos, who he has since led to their 14th and 15th European crowns.
On Wednesday, he returns to Merseyside with Madrid needing a result after losing two of their first four matches in the Champions League's new 36-team group phase.
They are coming up against a Liverpool team with four wins in as many Champions League games under Arne Slot, with the Reds aiming to win five straight matches from the start of a European campaign for the first time since 2021-22 (first seven).
On that occasion, Liverpool finished as Champions League runners-up to Ancelotti's Real Madrid, and the Italian is out to cause the Reds more heartache on Wednesday.
"I consider, as usual, Liverpool with a lot of respect – they're a fantastic club, fantastic supporters – but I'm still an Evertonian," Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference.
"It will be a very entertaining match, as always. Two historic clubs in this competition, each with its own characteristics. We'll have to see who has the character and personality to show it on the pitch.
"Liverpool have always been very competitive and very dangerous. They were under [Jurgen] Klopp, and it is with the new coach."
Real Madrid will be without star winger Vinicius Junior on Wednesday after he suffered a hamstring injury in Sunday's 3-0 league win over Leganes, while Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni and David Alaba are also out.
"We have also had seven anterior cruciate ligament (injuries)," Ancelotti added. "Avoiding them is difficult, because it's not only Madrid's problem, but also that of other teams.
"Each team handles these things in their own way, but what does not change are the injuries. We have to put up with this.
"We have to try to think like we did last year, that injuries have been a great opportunity for us to become better. It's no coincidence that the injuries of Militao, Lucas and Rodrygo against Osasuna have changed the dynamic of the team."
Despite the injuries, the Italian coach said his team's spirits were high after back-to-back wins, those results steadying things after a 3-1 home defeat to Milan.
"I'm fine, and the team is doing well too. Our last two games have gone very well," Ancelotti said.
"We are more solid, we have a good feeling and the same confidence as always, also for this game against very demanding opponents who are playing very well.
"However, I consider it a great opportunity for us to get back to our best level. I am totally confident that it will be a great game. After that, whatever happens, happens. But the team will be competitive tomorrow for sure."
'We wanted to make a statement' – Arteta revels in thumping win over Sporting
Mikel Arteta revelled in a statement win in the Champions League after Arsenal's 5-1 defeat of Sporting CP.
Sporting, who are under new leadership following Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United, were in second place in the standings heading into matchday five, following their 4-1 demolition of Manchester City earlier in November.
Yet the Portuguese team were no match for City's Premier League rivals Arsenal on Tuesday, as the Gunners blew Sporting away in Lisbon.
Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes put Arsenal 3-0 up by half-time, and though Goncalo Inacio pulled one back for the hosts, Bukayo Saka's penalty and a late finish from Leandro Trossard completed the rout for Arteta's side.
"I'm very happy, it is a big result against a big opponent," Arteta said, having seen Arsenal accumulate 3.89 expected goals, their most on record for a match in the competition (since 2013-14).
"We wanted to make a statement. I felt a really good energy before the match, but you have to put it into practice.
"The first half was exceptional and gave us the platform to win the game. We were really clever and efficient in the way we attacked them. It is an important win for us.
"The atmosphere was changing [when Sporting scored], they had belief, but after that we showed our personality to get on the ball again, to defend deeper if we needed to and the fourth goal changed it again.
"We have to enjoy it, playing in this competition against these sorts of teams. I was pleased with how the performance flowed."
Arsenal had been in a mini-slump of three games without a win before a 3-0 victory over high-flying Nottingham Forest in the Premier League this past weekend.
Backing up that victory with another dominant display is something they will have to do all season long if they are to be successful, according to Arteta.
"We need the consistency, if you want to be going for championships then you have to win and win again. Today was a different type of game but we handled it well and let's move on now," he said.
Arsenal are next in action on Saturday when they travel to West Ham in the Premier League.
Clarendon College edge Denbigh High 1-0 to setup Ben Francis Cup final against STETHS
Clarendon College took another step toward glory in the ISSA/Wata Ben Francis Cup when they edged Denbigh High 1-0 in a lukewarm semi-final encounter at Glenmuir High School on Tuesday.
A second-half penalty converted by Justin Hayles (54th) proved decisive for the dethroned daCosta Cup champions, who will face St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in the final, as both seek to cap their season on a high.
Clarendon College’s manager, Richard Palmer, praised his young team’s composure under pressure.
“First I must say congratulations to the guys; I don’t know if you realised that this is basically our Under-16 team because we made a drastic move after the daCosta Cup to cut all the last-year players and played these boys. They did well because we didn’t expect to come this far, so whatever we got we would have been pleased with because this is basically preseason for these players,” he said.
Both teams approached the game cautiously in the opening exchanges, seeking to establish control without taking unnecessary risks.
Clarendon issued the first warning in the second minute when Hayles unleashed a shot from outside the 18-yard box, but it lacked the power to trouble Denbigh’s goalkeeper, Jamar Johnson.
Denbigh responded six minutes later when Dushawn Anderson delivered a teasing cross into the area, only for Teyo Cross to head narrowly wide.
As the match settled into a rhythm, Denbigh began to look the more threatening side. Lashawn Barnaby won a free kick in the 17th minute after being brought down just outside the area, but Marlon Murray’s effort sailed high and wide, wasting a promising opportunity.
Clarendon, although under pressure, had a golden chance against the run of play in the 38th minute. Nicholy Forbes found himself with time and space inside the box but rushed his shot which went wide to the relief of Denbigh’s defenders.
With the game goalless at the break, both teams would have been eager to notch the go-ahead goal, and it was Clarendon College that found success nine minutes into the resumption.
A Denbigh defender was penalized for handling the ball inside the area, gifting Clarendon a penalty, which was calmly converted by Hayles.
Denbigh, stung by the setback, intensified their efforts in search of an equalizer. They pushed forward relentlessly, putting Clarendon’s defence under sustained pressure, but failed to make that spell count and, as such, were left ruining what could have been.
Denbigh coach Garfield Carney commended his players for their effort despite the loss.
“I think the Clarendon team possessed the ball much better than us and we were left chasing the game. But I must say well done to Denbigh; we did well this season, and we hope for a better season next year,” he noted.
Alvarez had free-kick confidence ahead of opener in Atletico rout
Julian Alvarez backed himself to score with the direct free-kick that opened up the floodgates in Atletico Madrid's 6-0 rout of Sparta Prague.
Atletico claimed their third Champions League win of the season in style on Tuesday, and Alvarez's brilliant free-kick opened the scoring after just 15 minutes.
The Argentine doubled his tally just before the hour, with Marcos Llorente and substitute Antoine Griezmann - on his 100th Champions League appearance - also scoring before Angel Correa got in on the act with a brace of his own late on.
The dominant performance, which saw Atletico rack up an expected goals (xG) total of 3.15, moved them up to 13th in the standings.
Alvarez was certainly happy with Atletico's biggest-ever away winning margin in a major European competition, surpassing a 5-0 win over Kayseri Erciyesspor in the UEFA Cup in October 2007.
"A great game, lots of goals, so I'm very happy. We needed it," Alvarez told Movistar Plus.
"I was confident that I was going to score with that free-kick, I think it was a great goal that opened the game and helped us to keep on winning.
"It was a matter of time and minutes to fit all the pieces together. Little by little the whole team is feeling better. We have to continue on this path and keep working. The group is doing very well so we're going for more."
Alvarez scored what was only the fourth direct free-kick goal by an Atletico player in the Champions League, and the first since Sergio Aguero netted against Chelsea in November 2009.
Having lost two of their previous four matches in the competition, the resounding victory also provided reason for coach Diego Simeone to celebrate.
"Anything that means winning makes me happy. If the team has the chance to keep playing like this and scoring goals, so much the better," he said.
"We kept taking the game where we wanted it to go, we accumulated chances and Julian's goal from a free kick was a great goal."
Alvarez made a slow start to life at Atletico following his move from Manchester City, but has picked up form since the end of September and is now on nine goals in all competitions.
"Julian is a player with the highest level, who has played for River Plate, Manchester City and Argentina," Simeone added.
"He is going from strength to strength since joining us, and we expect the best from him.
"He is young, there is good hope for the present and the future. Hopefully, we can accompany him so that he can continue to grow."
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