Having Liverpool playing Real Betis in their first pre-season friendly gave Adrian an opportunity to say goodbye to Mohamed Salah and Kostas Tsimikas. Adrian did not get the same farewell as Thiago and Joel Matip at Anfield following a season that concluded without a decision on his future.

Rather, his discreet departure on a free transfer to Betis happened while his colleagues were away, Liverpool presenting the custodian with a fresh contract.

But Adrian athe chance to say farewell to those he had become close to as the two sides convened in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

This included Salah and Tsimikas, two of his closest squad mates, who welcomed their former teammate Thursday at their hotel. As a light-hearted token of their friendship, Adrian handed both players Betis shirts with their names and number printed on the back.

Salah beamed as he posed with Adrian, holding his No. 11 shirt, while Tsimikas humorously remarked, “I’m leaving!” The Reds duo are anticipated to start in Arne Slot’s first official friendly as head coach, while Adrian will be looking forward to his first minutes since joining Betis.

“It’s been really intense, to be honest, the last few weeks, or month, I would say,” the 37-year-old shared with reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

“There were a lot of conversations with Real Betis and with Liverpool as well, since they offered me a contract extension.”

“So first of all, I just say thank you to [Liverpool] for giving me that opportunity to continue at the club, but that opportunity came to come back home and I had to use that opportunity.

“As we say, the train passes one time, I have to catch that train; the train is running, so here I am.

“Obviously I tried to express myself to the Liverpool fans with as well, because I had a great five seasons there.”