Trent Alexander-Arnold Injury Strikes Again as Real Madrid Star Finally Registers La Liga Assist
Arnold was substituted in the 55th minute of Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Athletic Club due to what appeared to be an ankle injury.
The former Liverpool defender had earlier secured his inaugural assist in La Liga by contributing to Kylian Mbappe’s opening goal, but he was removed from the match early in the second half after receiving medical treatment.
Alexander-Arnold had been enjoying one of his more positive performances for Real Madrid that evening, notably securing his first La Liga assist since his summer arrival from Liverpool.
His accurate long pass was expertly controlled by Mbappe, who then rapidly advanced through Athletic’s midfield before executing a precise finish to give Real Madrid the lead.
Furthermore, Alexander-Arnold had demonstrated defensive solidity, even against the agile Nico Williams. However, he soon fell to the ground requiring medical attention, leading to his substitution by Raul Asencio.
This incident presents an additional concern for manager Xabi Alonso, especially as he is already without his primary right-back, Dani Carvajal, due to injury.
Trending
The team will now await medical test results to determine the potential length of the new player’s recovery period.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s challenging start to his time at Real Madrid has received extensive media coverage.
The Spanish media, for instance, criticized the England international following his previous display in the 1-1 draw with Girona, with one notable journalist even describing him as “unaware” due to his failure to impress many supporters during his initial months at the club.
However, he has now finally registered a second assist for the team, adding to the first he recorded during the Club World Cup in the summer.
Although not a typical assist, as Kylian Mbappe completed most of the offensive work, it would undoubtedly have boosted the 27-year-old’s morale had he not subsequently sustained another fitness setback.
This new issue emerged less than three months after he initially suffered a hamstring injury at the season’s outset, an ailment that kept him out for six matches.
Alonso’s concerns now extend beyond Alexander-Arnold’s injury. Eduardo Camavinga, who scored Madrid’s second goal on Wednesday, also needed medical attention before leaving the field.
The French player appeared to suffer a muscular problem, having pulled up without contact, and he, like Alexander-Arnold, now faces an anxious period awaiting the results of their medical examinations.
Camavinga experienced a significantly disrupted 2024-25 season, making only 15 appearances throughout the campaign, so any further setback would be very damaging for the versatile midfielder.
Alonso is already missing several important players, specifically Carvajal, David Alaba, Dean Huijsen, and Ferland Mendy, and another injury would further limit the options available to the former Bayer Leverkusen manager.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is scheduled for medical evaluations over the next few days to ascertain the extent of his injury. It seems unlikely that he will be fit to participate in Real Madrid’s upcoming match this Sunday against Celta Vigo.
Additionally, he might also be absent for the significant Champions League contest with Manchester City. Following these games, the team has fixtures against Alaves and Sevilla before a brief break over the Christmas holidays.
Their recent victory in Bilbao did relieve some of the pressure on manager Alonso, who had been experiencing criticism after a series of three La Liga matches without a win.
The club remains one point behind league leaders Barcelona, who secured an impressive triumph over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.
Consequently, a consistent period of strong performance is now essential if Real Madrid intends to reclaim the league title from their renowned adversaries.
