Xabi Alonso has praised Trent Alexander-Arnold, stating that he is “in better form” following his dedicated training efforts during the international break, providing Real Madrid with increased options at right-back.
This month, Alexander-Arnold was left out of the England squad by coach Thomas Tuchel, as injuries have limited his participation during his inaugural LaLiga season, despite the absence of rival Dani Carvajal.
In recent matches, Alexander-Arnold’s impact has been minimal, featuring for just nine minutes in Madrid’s 1-0 Champions League loss to his former club Liverpool on November 4—where he faced jeers from the Anfield crowd—and seven minutes in a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano just five days later.
“During this [international] break, we’ve worked closely with Trent, both as a group and individually, following his injuries,” Alonso mentioned during a press conference on Saturday, just before Madrid’s match against Elche.
“Having Trent back in better form gives us more options in that role, plus we have other players available. Fede [Valverde] is still an option. [Eder] Militao recently played as a right-back for Brazil, and Raul [Asencio] can fill in there too.”
Criticism has followed Madrid’s performances against Liverpool and Rayo, where the team failed to score in both matches. Star player Kylian Mbappé was especially noted for not managing a single shot on target in either game.
“We didn’t find the net against Liverpool or Vallecano, but it’s not solely about Kylian; it’s about the entire team,” Alonso commented. “When we struggle to score, we have to explore different avenues—wingers, midfielders, set pieces… I am confident the goals will come back.”
Since taking over from Carlo Ancelotti last summer, Alonso acknowledged the criticism, despite the club sitting atop LaLiga, as “normal.”
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“We’re aware of where we stand and the expectations of Real Madrid,” he said. “We hold ourselves accountable after every match. We don’t need to give it more significance than that.”
Alonso noted that Militao’s injury sustained during international duty was disappointing, but the team is encouraged by the potential return of another center-back, Antonio Rüdiger.
“It is excellent news that [Rüdiger] is nearing a return,” Alonso mentioned. “He may not be ready for tomorrow, but we’ll see about Athens [against Olympiacos]. His quality and leadership are vital for us.”
“Militao’s injury is not serious, but we will miss him. Having Toni back as soon as possible is very promising news.”