Alonso admits Trent was ‘caught out’ in most recent Real Madrid appearance | OneFootball

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has offered a pointed explanation after Trent Alexander-Arnold was “caught out” during his most recent FIFA Club World Cup appearance.

The 26-year-old made a controversial exit from Liverpool this summer, joining the Spanish giants for £10 million in the final month of his contract.

His performance against Juventus in the Round of 16 raised eyebrows, particularly after a shaky moment defending Kenan Yildiz.

Alonso was asked to comment on Trent’s performance

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Alonso, addressing the media post-match via RealMadrid.com, was asked about his No.12’s performance and said: “We were caught out by [Kenan] Yildiz’s position in the middle.

“Everything takes time, but I have faith in him. He’s a reliable full-back and so is Carvajal. We will improve from the collective side to the individual and not the other way around.”

That line offers a degree of patience, though it’s clear Real Madrid’s new head coach is aware of the early teething issues for the Englishman.

Trent’s Liverpool exit still leaves a bitter taste

(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

For many of us, the frustration around this transfer remains raw.

The fact the Scouser allowed his deal to run down, giving himself more power in negotiations while limiting our ability to cash in, hasn’t gone unnoticed.

That his unveiling in Madrid included a flawless Spanish speech has only added to the sense that this was a premeditated decision, possibly long in the making.

Liverpool’s decision to accept a fee came just weeks before the arrival of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, with this extra money coming in useful for our summer spending.

Trent’s exit opened the door for Jeremie Frimpong, the new Dutch arrival from Leverkusen, who will now battle Conor Bradley for the right-back role next season.

With Real Madrid already under scrutiny for their new signings’ performances, this isn’t the first time that Alonso has been forced to comment on the performances of his new right back in just four games.

You can watch some of Trent’s highlights of the game courtesy of FIFA (via @ToutNeuf9 on X):

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