Former Liverpool Hero Could Miss Huge Real Madrid Clash

Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced off with a left hamstring problem just minutes into his Real Madrid Champions League debut against Marseille.

Head coach Xabi Alonso says the club will wait on scans, with hopes the issue is not as severe as first feared.

Early setback, red card drama, and a problem at right-back

Alexander-Arnold lasted only a few minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu before feeling his left hamstring, prompting an immediate substitution. Dani Carvajal replaced him but was later sent off following a VAR review for a head-to-head clash with Gerónimo Rulli, leaving Madrid to close out a 2-1 win with ten men. Kylian Mbappé’s two penalties overturned Timothy Weah’s opener as Alonso’s side began their campaign with three points, but the right-back situation became the night’s defining story.

Speaking post-match, Alonso urged calm over the defender’s status.

“We’ll wait a bit; maybe it’s not as bad as it seems,”

Reports in Spain also indicated the weekend league fixture could come too soon, increasing the likelihood that Alonso must find short-term cover on the flank while Carvajal serves a suspension. Madrid’s depth options include reshuffling the back line or turning to youth, though any decision will hinge on scan results and disciplinary outcomes.

Liverpool date on the horizon

Liverpool are set to host Madrid at Anfield in early November in the league-phase schedule, a reunion that now hangs in the balance for Alexander-Arnold. The 26-year-old’s move to Spain framed this fixture as a marquee subplot, but the immediate priority is recovery. For Madrid, the combination of an injury concern and Carvajal’s red card creates a selection puzzle in the short term, and any absence stretching into November would magnify the challenge against Arne Slot’s side.

Beyond personnel, the broader takeaway was Madrid’s resilience under pressure. The victory, achieved after turbulence on and off the ball, keeps momentum with Alonso while also underlining how quickly fortunes can change across a packed European calendar. The coming days, and the scan room, will shape the next chapter.

Site Opinion

This is an unwelcome reality check for Madrid’s new project. Even if the scan brings good news, Alonso must insulate the right-back position immediately, because Carvajal’s dismissal has already trimmed options.

For Liverpool, the tactical significance is obvious: if Alexander-Arnold is absent, Madrid lose their elite ball-progressor on that side, and if Carvajal misses Anfield, Alonso’s ‘creative solutions’ will be stress-tested by one of Europe’s most aggressive wide units.