Trent Alexander-Arnold has firmly established himself as Real Madrid's first-choice right back, but his performances have apparently not met with universal approval from his teammates. The former Liverpool star has started in five of the Spanish giants' last six matches, including Friday night's 1-1 draw at Real Betis.
However, it seems that LaLiga encounter has raised some eyebrows after footage showed one of his teammates mocking his actions. The culprit? Dani Carvajal, the man Alexander-Arnold has usurped in the defensive lineup.
Carvajal was once again an unused substitute, amid reports in Spain that he has fallen out with Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa—something the latter has denied. As a result of his omission from the starting lineup, Spanish media focused particularly on Carvajal on the bench, with television cameras capturing his analysis of Alexander-Arnold during a play.
In the incident, Carvajal gestures with his fingers to indicate how slowly Alexander-Arnold is running back to help his teammates, implying that he is walking rather than sprinting. The 34-year-old then whispers to a teammate while covering his mouth, although it is unclear if that comment is directly about the former Liverpool star.
Speculation of a rift between Carvajal and Arbeloa emerged after Real's 2-1 win over Alaves on April 21, when the latter said he 'think[s] about what's best for the team' when asked about his right-back selections. Addressing his comments last Thursday ahead of the trip to Betis, Arbeloa expanded: 'It was a short, serious answer to a question I thought was out of place. It wasn't short based on Dani Carvajal. You can see, since I've been here, what my answers have been about him, and you can ask my players how I speak about Dani Carvajal with the group.'
'People are trying to put an unjustified, unfair spin on this. He's more than ready to go to the World Cup. He's started games for us, and he's done well. He's a fundamental player, on and off the pitch, and for the national team it should be the same [...] He might be the most important academy product in the history of the club.'
'I've always had a great relationship with him. It's hard for me to believe any coach would pick a team for non-sporting reasons.'
'Trent Alexander-Arnold is showing a great level,' Arbeloa said. 'His performance is beyond doubt. Right now he deserves to play, and when he hasn't played, Carvajal has done well... I'm not a coach to gift a minute to anyone.'
Carvajal's contract expires at the end of the season, and Arbeloa also refused to be drawn into his future at the Santiago Bernabeu beyond that. 'I've always said, and with various players I always say the same, it's something between Carvajal and the club,' he continued. 'All I can say is what I've felt these months, which is that he's helped us. Whatever is good for Carvajal and the club would make me happy.'
