Spanish media outlets heavily criticized Trent Alexander-Arnold after Real Madrid's victory at Celta Vigo, particularly highlighting his role in Celta's first goal. Sport gave him a match rating of 3/10 and labeled him a 'problem in defence' for the club. The goal came after Williot Swedberg made Alexander-Arnold look ordinary and fed Borja Iglesias for the equalizer. This scrutiny adds to a growing list of challenges for the defender since his high-profile move.
Alexander-Arnold's recent troubles include disciplinary action, as he was dropped from Real Madrid's starting lineup for a match after arriving late to a training session. This benching coincided with being snubbed by England manager Thomas Tuchel for the national team squad, casting doubt on his World Cup hopes. In response, Alexander-Arnold posted 'Madrid. Y nada mas' on Instagram after being excluded from the England squad and benched for the Madrid derby.
I just failed to teach him how to defend.
On the pitch, Alexander-Arnold has delivered mixed performances, struggling with injuries and form since joining Real Madrid. He came off the bench in the Madrid derby and assisted Vinicius Junior's winning goal. In another instance, he made a perfectly-weighted pass from deep to Vinicius Junior, whose attempt rebounded off the post. However, these flashes of brilliance have been overshadowed by persistent questions about his defensive reliability, with observers noting he has shown defensive shortcomings in England as well as in Spain.
Controversy also surrounds Alexander-Arnold's transfer to Real Madrid, with Spanish media reporting that the decision to sign him was mandated by president Florentino Perez without consulting the manager.
I took extra pleasure in beating Manchester City in the Champions League because they had 'snatched a few medals' from me at Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold's behavior has drawn attention off the field as well; he was caught on camera mocking Manchester City player Jeremy Doku after Real Madrid's Champions League win over City. Additionally, he was booed by Liverpool fans when he returned to Anfield with Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Jurgen Klopp's comments on Alexander-Arnold's defensive abilities present a contradiction. On one hand, Klopp defended Alexander-Arnold's defensive strength during his time at Liverpool. On the other, Alexander-Arnold's performances have continued to raise defensive concerns in his new environment.
I knew what I was getting into at Real Madrid, citing differences in culture, language, and style of football.
Meanwhile, another disciplinary situation has affected Real Madrid, involving Raúl Asencio. Asencio was dropped from the starting lineup against Manchester City, despite having played through injury problems to be available for the big match. He has apologized to the team and has since been stopped from playing. The situation with Asencio also affected the team, forcing Antonio Rüdiger, who was supposed to rest, to play.
Real Madrid secured a dramatic victory at Celta Vigo on Friday, with Fede Valverde scoring a late winner with a deflected shot deep into extra time.
I had to adapt my game under Liverpool manager Arne Slot to improve defensively before leaving for Real Madrid.
Several unknowns persist regarding Alexander-Arnold's situation. Beyond the general criticism, the specific defensive mistakes he made in the Celta Vigo match that led to media backlash have not been detailed. His relationship with Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa after the disciplinary benching is also unclear. How his playing time has been impacted by form and disciplinary issues beyond the reported benching remains to be seen, as does Perez's response to the signing allegations. Details of Asencio's injury conflict and its resolution are also not fully known.