Alvaro Arbeloa's transfer to Real Madrid brings the Spain defender's eventful two-and-a-half year association with the Reds to an end. Liverpoolfc.tv takes a look back at his Anfield career.
Arbeloa initially moved to Merseyside in January 2007 from Deportivo La Coruna, where he had spent just six months and made 21 appearances.
A graduate of the Real Madrid Academy, he made his debut for the Reds as a substitute in a Barclays Premier League encounter with Newcastle United at St James' Park, and his first start soon followed in the Champions League last 16 clash against Barcelona in Spain.
Operating in an unfamiliar role at left-back, the affable defender excelled in thwarting Barca's Lionel Messi helping Liverpool claim an unforgettable 2-1 victory in the Nou Camp.
It was hailed as yet another tactical masterstroke by Rafa Benitez and Alvaro repeated the trick two weeks later in the return leg at Anfield as the Reds marched all the way to the final in Athens, where he figured as a late substitute in the narrow defeat to AC Milan.
Arbeloa bagged his first goal for the club against Reading in April of the same year with a composed finish following a swift counter-attack.
In doing so, he became the first No.2 to score for Liverpool since the inception of the Premier League.
He opted to take the No.17 jersey ahead of the following season and the 26-year-old firmly established himself in the Reds' first team setup in 2007-08.
Alvaro's versatility made him a useful asset to Benitez and this was further demonstrated when he was deployed in a centre-back position away to Manchester City in December 2007.
International recognition arrived soon after, with Arbeloa winning his first cap for Spain in March 2008 against Italy.
He was included in the Spaniard's squad which triumphed at Euro 2008 and started one game in a group stage fixture with Greece.
Arbeloa's consistency continued into 2008-09 and he was an ever-dependable figure at right-back, making 43 appearances in all competitions as the Reds enjoyed their best league campaign under Benitez.
He also scored his second goal for Liverpool with an expertly struck curling left-foot strike against West Bromwich Albion at the Kop end in December.
Alvaro played a key role in helping the Reds secure an historic 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 tie at the Bernabeu in February, and featured in the second leg at Anfield where Benitez's charges ran riot with a stunning 4-0 success.
In total, he made 98 appearances for Liverpool, scoring twice, and will be fondly remembered by Kopites, who affectionately nicknamed him 'The Lawnmower' due to his tackling prowess.
of the liverpool offical site...
correct me if iam wrong but dosnt sergio ramos play right back for madrid if so have fun sitting on the bench LMFAO
