Trent Alexander-Arnold's turbulent start to life at Real Madrid took another painful turn this week, as an injury cut short his best performance yet for the club, immediately followed by a scathing assessment from parts of the Spanish media.
A Promising Start Cut Short in Bilbao
The England international, who joined from Liverpool in a £10 million summer switch, was instrumental in Real Madrid's 3-0 victory away at Athletic Club on Wednesday. Demonstrating the creative flair he was signed for, Alexander-Arnold registered his first assist in La Liga in under seven minutes, delivering a precise pass for Kylian Mbappe to open the scoring.
He was also heavily involved in the team's second goal, finding Mbappe again before the French star set up Eduardo Camavinga. However, the defender's evening ended prematurely in the 55th minute when he signalled to the bench after appearing to feel discomfort following a long-range pass. He was substituted for Raul Asencio.
Spanish Press Delivers Harsh Verdict
Despite his influential contributions before going off, some Spanish publications offered a brutally unsympathetic take on his situation. The newspaper Sport led its match report with the headline: "Trent, a Real Madrid signing who continues to disappoint."
Their article argued that his "performances are unconvincing" and that physical problems are compounding a lack of adaptation. It went further, stating: "So far, he has accumulated 392 minutes of complete insignificance... his inability to fight back is condemning him to be a failed signing." The report also claimed the club is "already doubting" the decision to bring him to the Bernabeu.
This criticism follows a similarly tough assessment from Marca after a recent 1-1 draw with Girona, where he was described as looking "clueless and insubstantial, with the expression of a rabbit in the headlights" in open play.
Injury Woes and Managerial Headache
The severity of this latest issue is not yet clear, but it represents another setback in a stop-start debut season. Alexander-Arnold was previously sidelined for approximately six weeks with a hamstring tear earlier in the campaign.
The timing is particularly frustrating for manager Xabi Alonso, who saw the right-back finally showing his quality. AS noted the cruel twist, writing: "It's especially painful... as this new problem arose on the day Trent was having his best game in a white shirt."
With club captain Dani Carvajal also injured, Alonso may once again have to deploy Federico Valverde in the right-back position, a scenario he had hoped to avoid.
While some coverage acknowledged his promising display before the injury, the overarching narrative in Spain remains one of intense scrutiny and doubt, heaping pressure on the former Liverpool star to prove his worth once he returns to fitness.
