Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be sidelined for at least two months after a scan confirmed the Real Madrid full-back has torn his left thigh muscle. The injury occurred during Madrid's 3-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night, where he provided his first assist of the season before being withdrawn just before the hour mark.
The 26-year-old had been making his fourth consecutive start since returning from a previous left thigh injury suffered against Marseille in September. Although Madrid did not specify the extent of the injury or estimated recovery time, Alexander-Arnold is not expected to return until February, meaning he will miss the remainder of the Champions League league phase, including Wednesday's match against Manchester City.
He is also a doubt for the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, the next three rounds of the Copa del Rey, and up to nine La Liga games. The injury further jeopardises his hopes of securing a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for next summer's World Cup.
Alexander-Arnold joined Madrid in July and has made only 11 appearances across their 20 games this season. With Dani Carvajal also recovering from a knee injury, Madrid are left without a recognised right-back. The defender's most impressive display came at Bilbao, where he completed 32 of 38 passes, including a 50-yard assist for Kylian Mbappé's opening goal.
