Trent Alexander-Arnold, back in the starting lineup after a long injury layoff, silenced his critics on Saturday night during the match against Real Sociedad.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, absent from the starting eleven since December 3, reclaimed his spot on Saturday night against Real Sociedad, in Real Madrid’s commanding 4-1 victory. After a quiet return the previous weekend against Valencia CF, where he played just a quarter of an hour, the English full-back had a lot to prove. While Vinícius Júnior rightly stole the headlines for his performance, Alexander-Arnold also shone and stepped back into the spotlight.
His first half of the season had faced criticism: inconsistent performances, recurring injuries, and ongoing debates about who should be the starting right-back in Madrid, with Fede Valverde and Dani Carvajal as serious competitors. Against the Basques, Alexander-Arnold clearly made his case.
A convincing hour of play highlighted by an assist in the 5th minute, with a cross perfectly converted by Gonzalo García. Throughout the match, the English full-back was very active offensively, precise in his passes, and solid defensively. This performance earned him an impressive 9/10 in Marca’s ratings. The Madrid newspaper even dares to compare his right foot to that of David Beckham, titling: “Is Beckham back at the Bernabéu?”
“I won’t say he surprised me, but he’s a very intelligent player who understands the game very well. I spoke with him and I appreciated it, it’s a privilege to have a player like that. But we’re not discovering Trent now,” said Álvaro Arbeloa after the match. With such a performance, the Englishman, who had played only 16% of possible minutes before this match, seems to have set things right. The debate over the starting right-back at Real Madrid might finally be coming to an end.
