Real Madrid decided to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of the La Liga game against Valencia after Dani Carvajal was ruled out with a knee injury.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to feature in Real Madrid’s game against Valencia this weekend, raising the possibility that he will play against Liverpool in the Champions League. The fullback is scheduled to make his first start since September 16th.
The 27-year-old played just five minutes against Marseille and left the pitch in disarray. However, his recovery from his hamstring injury is progressing well and he is on the agenda for a return to action at Anfield next week.
Alexander-Arnold was brought forward even further in his schedule and was included in Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid squad that won against Barcelona. However, no England players were called up.
The Liverpool academy product watched Federico Valverde and Dani Carvajal play in their positions against Barça. However, reports in Spain say he is “definitely” to be selected for the game against Valencia.
Alexander-Arnold earned a place in Real Madrid’s starting XI before Los Blancos manager Alonso introduced club captain Carvajal, who had returned from a serious knee injury. The defender’s lack of playing time meant he was ruled out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad in September.
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Veteran defender Carabajal was injured in El Clasico, giving Alexander-Arnold a chance for extra time. La Liga bosses expect the Spaniard to be out for more than six weeks and could not return until 2026.
“As a result of the tests carried out on captain Dani Carvajal by Real Madrid’s medical services, it has been determined that the joint in his right knee is loosened,” the club said in a statement on Monday night.
“Carvajal will undergo arthroscopy.” Carvajal’s problem is in the same knee, where two ligaments and a tendon were torn in October 2024. He therefore missed the rest of the season and Alexander-Arnold was signed in time for the Club World Cup.
This summer signing is likely to take two months to establish his place under Alonso, and a tough return to Liverpool will be an early test. Alexander-Arnold could face a harsh reaction at his former base on November 4.
The defender was booed by fans after announcing his plans to leave before the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold received a kind response during his final appearance and appeared emotional during the scenes on the pitch after the full-time whistle.
When asked about leaving Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold told GQ Espana: “This was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. Liverpool is my home and it has made me who I am today. But Madrid felt like the right step at the right time.”
“It was an ambition, a personal desire for change, to challenge myself in a new environment. Of course, the tradition of Real Madrid cannot be denied, but what attracted me more than that was my ambition and the desire to test myself in a new environment.”
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