Trent Alexander-Arnold only lasted five minutes in his Champions League debut for Real Madrid before going down with a hamstring injury.
Real Madrid’s first European match under Xabi Alonso was nearly a disaster. Los Blancos went a goal behind to Marseille early on, had Dani Carvajal was sent off and then saw Alexander-Arnold become the latest addition to the club’s infirmary, clutching the back of his left thigh after just three passes at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Alexander-Arnold played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title win last term, and his departure has been keenly felt at Anfield, where Arne Slot is struggling to establish the optimal balance following Liverpool’s historic summer splurge.
It was hoped he’d have a similar impact in Madrid, with the revolutionary right-back’s signing and the arrival of Alonso signaling a new dawn at the club, but his absence from the team has been an obvious low point to date.
The England international had notched just 155 minutes of action this term before succumbing to his injury against Marseille, but the latest reports suggest Alexander-Arnold will return earlier than expected from his first fitness setback in sunny Spain.
