Trent Alexander-Arnold started the summer of 2025 with the biggest decision of his career. And now, the England international is facing the consequences of that decision.
Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool - a team he has been with since his childhood - in controversial circumstances to join Real Madrid. For those who are not fans of The Kop, this is considered a bold and attractive move, when he will stand side by side with Jude Bellingham under the leadership of Xabi Alonso.
At the age of 26, Alexander-Arnold is full of ambition, having admitted that he wanted to make a revolution at right-back and conquer the Ballon d'Or. However, at Real Madrid, everything has not gone as planned for now.
Initial excitement surrounding the blockbuster contract has subsided. And now the harsh reality is starting to appear in the Spanish capital.
Real Madrid spent £8.4m to get Alexander-Arnold just before he became a free agent at the end of June. This number reflects the Royal team's respect for his presence at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the US last summer.
The English defender was immediately named in the starting lineup by Alonso, starting 5 consecutive matches and having 2 assists, contributing greatly to helping Real advance to the semi-finals. However, injuries kept him out of the semi-final, and Real Madrid were then destroyed 4-0 by Paris St-Germain, ending their journey in a bitter end.
Alexander-Arnold immediately took the starting position at right-back, in the context that Dani Carvajal was still sidelined to recover from a cruciate ligament injury in October. However, that advantage did not last long and everything quickly reversed.
The Englishman is well aware that his position at the Bernabeu is uncertain, especially as Carvajal is on his way back from injury. At the age of 33, Carvajal is still a living legend of the Bernabeu and will certainly not easily give up his position.
Alonso also understands that he cannot leave Carvajal out and sees the position race as a positive thing. "It's not fair or unfair, I just need to distribute what I have," Alonso said before the season when asked about the right-back position.
"I have many areas that need replacements, and this is one of them with two top players. Carvajal, who has been working hard to get close to his peak form, and Trent, a signing from Liverpool.
It's great to have them to improve the squad. We will have to play a lot of games and maintaining our top form is mandatory," the Spanish captain added.
Alexander-Arnold won against Real when he was named the starting forward in the opening match of La Liga against Osasuna last week. Los Blancos won 1-0, but the former Liverpool star's debut in Spain's top flight was not as expected.
He lost the ball 15 times before being substituted by Alonso in the 68th minute. The decision was warmly supported by fans, as Carvajal - who returned from injury - received a resounding round of applause from Madridistas.
The Spanish media, which was once very familiar with Real Madrid, immediately took a turn to Alexander-Arnold's lackluster performance. Meanwhile, Carvajal's legacy and influence at the Bernabeu make it more difficult for the 26-year-old to affirm his position.
In round 2 of La Liga, Alonso gave Carvajal a starting position in the 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo. Alexander-Arnold was only on the field for the last few minutes. After the match, he received a straightforward message from the head coach that rotating the squad was inevitable.
"It's all about tactical needs, the number of moves and the opponents. I have not made a decision for next month. The important thing is that every player must feel ready, whether starting, coming off the bench or preparing for the next match" - Alonso explained.
