Xabi Alonso confirms latest Trent Alexander-Arnold humiliation | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold turned his back on Liverpool in the summer of 2025.

Having represented the club over the course of 20 years - Trent won all there was to win as a Red but opted to run down his contract rather than become a one-club man for life.

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In order to have him available for the FIFA Club World Cup, Madrid were forced to hand over £8.4m to Liverpool one month before the official expiration of his contract.

Trent's nightmare Madrid start

But the England international got his way - a dream move to the Bernabeu or so it seemed.

Concerns were raised early in his tenure in the Spanish capital over his availability. The right-back missed the CWC semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and some in the Madrid media queried the point of signing a defender with a lack of robustness and durability.

Then it was reported that Trent’s lack of defensive nous was keeping Xabi Alonso awake at night.

However he was the Madrid starting right-back for their season opener against Osasuna. But a day one horror show saw Trent give the ball away 15 times in little over an hour - and he was withdrawn in favour of the returning Dani Carvajal.

Carvajal back in ahead of Trent

The Spain international is 33 and coming off the back of a serious ACL injury but is now reckoned to be above his young usurper in the pecking order.

That was confirmed on matchday two when the starting shirt - and the captain’s armband - went to Carvajal away at Real Oviedo. Alexander-Arnold got three measly minutes - plus additional time - in a chastening outing.

Now Defensa Central is claiming that the former Red’s main role this season will be to help ensure Carvajal stays fit - a humiliating eventuality for someone who was supposed to be a flagship summer signing.

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Trent's back-up role confirmed

“Real Madrid coaching staff's plan is to rotate between Carvajal and Arnold in these first weeks of the season, with the aim of ensuring Carvajal is physically at his best during the most important stretch of the season,” the report reads.

Carvajal is going to remain top dog in the Real Madrid right-back slot for this season.

Not only does he look a better fit for Xabi Alonso - a former Madrid teammate - but he has got some leadership qualities simply not possessed by Trent at this stage of his career.

“Beyond the sporting aspect, Carvajal is very important in the locker room,” the report reads. “For this reason, aside from this summer's signings, the full-back is the biggest signing of the season.”