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Trent Alexander-Arnold faces a race to be fit for Real Madrid’s Champions League fixture against Liverpool in November due to a hamstring injury which the club fear could sideline him for between six to eight weeks.
Alexander-Arnold, 26, was forced off five minutes into his Champions League debut for Madrid on Tuesday and the club confirmed on Wednesday assessments had revealed an injury to his left hamstring.
It remains to be seen how long he will miss, but the club fear he could be sidelined for a busy period of fixtures which includes the first Madrid derby of the season against Atletico on September 27, the campaign’s first Clasico against Barcelona on October 26 and Champions League fixtures against Juventus (October 22) and Liverpool (November 4) — the first time Alexander-Arnold would have played at Anfield since leaving the club in the summer.
The injury means the right-back is also set to miss October’s international window, with England facing Wales in a friendly and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia. He was not included in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for September’s international fixtures.
Madrid are already expected to be without Dani Carvajal for the Champions League ties against Juventus and Liverpool, with the right-back facing a suspension after being sent off during Tuesday’s win over Marseille.
Alexander-Arnold pulled up clutching the back of his left thigh in the early stages at the Bernabeu and was replaced by Carvajal.
“We’re going to wait a bit with Trent, it might not be as bad as it could be, but we’re going to wait,” Xabi Alonso said after the match.
Alexander-Arnold has started two of Madrid’s four La Liga fixtures this season and featured from the bench in the league games against Real Oviedo and Real Sociedad.
The England international joined Madrid in the summer after spending his entire youth and professional career with Liverpool. His contract at Anfield was set to expire in the summer but Madrid paid €10million (£8.4m; $11.4m) to secure his arrival early and allow him to play at the Club World Cup.
He started Madrid’s first five matches in the competition in the United States but missed their semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain through a minor injury.
Alonso’s side return to action on Saturday when they host Espanyol in La Liga.
What does this mean for Madrid and Alexander-Arnold?
The year 2025 is not proving to be an easy one for Alexander-Arnold, with physical problems playing a major role in this.
After suffering minor muscle and ankle injuries in February and March with Liverpool, this is his second setback in just three-and-a-half months as a Real Madrid player. The first saw him miss the Club World Cup semi-final against PSG, while he is now expected to be out of action for at least a month-and-a-half.
Injuries always come at a bad time, but this one is particularly delicate for Alexander-Arnold. Immersed in the difficult process of changing club, country and culture after a lifetime dedicated to Liverpool, he has barely had time to show his true footballing talent in this new phase of his career with Madrid.
Both Xabi Alonso and voices within the Spanish club had been publicly and privately calling to give him the time he needs to adapt, with the coach giving him a starting place in all games at the Santiago Bernabeu, choosing captain Dani Carvajal to start away games.
Carvajal was sent off against Marseille on Tuesday (Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
But Madrid have another problem with Carvajal, who was sent off for a headbutt in the 2-1 home victory over Marseille on Tuesday. The suspension could in theory be for up to three matches.
It leaves Alonso in a difficult position to cover the position of right-back. The most logical solution, especially considering what Carlo Ancelotti did last season, would be to put Federico Valverde there. However, the midfielder and vice-captain said last night in the mixed zone that he had “earned his place” in midfield, adding: “The coach knows I don’t much like playing as right-back.”
Raul Asencio covered Carvajal in the position after his sending-off last night and was tried out there by Ancelotti, but last season he looked uncomfortable and did not convince. Another option could be Jesus Fortea, who plays for Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s reserve team that plays on Spain’s third tier.
Fortea, 18, is the starting right-back in the side managed by Alvaro Arbeloa. He has an interesting backstory: Madrid broke its verbal ‘non-aggression pact’ with the academy of city rivals Atletico Madrid to sign him in 2022.
He did not make his debut with Castilla under club legend Raul, but Arbeloa’s promotion and Alonso’s influence have improved his situation since May, when talks over a contract renewal began.
Alexander-Arnold’s Anfield absence would be ‘bitter blow’
Analysis by The Athletic’s Liverpool Correspondent Gregg Evans
If Alexander-Arnold does end up missing the Champions League clash at Anfield, it would be a bitter blow.
Having the opportunity to return to his former club so soon after leaving was exciting for a number of reasons.
Confident in his ability, he would have relished the chance to showcase his talent for his new side on such familiar ground.
And with both teams chasing European success, getting the first encounter out of the way could have eased some of the pressure ahead of what may be even more intense meetings down the line.
For years, Alexander-Arnold was idolised by Liverpool supporters and many would have been curious to see how he fared wearing the colours of the opposition.
Yet, for a player who performed so well for so long, the impressive performances of his replacements have seen him fade from the spotlight faster than anyone might have imagined.
Already this season Dominik Szoboszlai, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley have played at right-back and all three have showed enough quality to suggest that Liverpool will be fine without their former homegrown hero.
If Alexander-Arnold does end up sitting in the stands watching a game of such magnitude it will be tough, especially as he also missed the fixture last year when he was a Liverpool player.
(Top photo: Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
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