Trent Alexander-Arnold faced heavy criticism in the Spanish press after Real Madrid's narrow victory over Celta Vigo on Friday, with some outlets referencing former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The right-back was at fault for Celta's equaliser, when Williot Swedberg easily beat him before setting up Borja Iglesias to score.
Marca noted: 'Don't be shocked by Alexander-Arnold. He's always been like this. Klopp said it himself right after leaving Liverpool: I just failed to teach him how to defend.' The paper added that his strength lies in attack, but defending remains a weakness.
Sport gave Alexander-Arnold a rating of three out of ten, describing his defensive displays as 'very worrying'. 'The Englishman is a problem in defence for Real Madrid,' they wrote. 'To make matters worse, he's lost what little he contributed in attack.'
Mundo Deportivo was harsher, calling the summer signing a 'complete flop' and 'a shadow of his former self at Liverpool'. They highlighted his 'lack of motivation, sluggishness, and poor positioning' for the equaliser. Cadena SER acknowledged his difficult adaptation, crediting his assist for the opening goal but noting the overall struggle.
Real Madrid face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, and the Spanish media suggested a similar performance could be punished more severely.
