“It’s brutal…” – Trent Alexander-Arnold given pertinent warning of what he can expect at Madrid | OneFootball

Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid in the coming weeks, and a former Reds player with experience of playing in Spain has warned the 26-year-old to expect some ‘brutal’ treatment there.

The England right-back announced on Monday that he’ll depart his hometown club when his contract expires this summer, with Los Blancos keen to fast-track the transfer so that he can be registered in time for the Club World Cup next month.

Although the defender has been vilified by many Kopites on social media over the past couple of days, he’s been advised that the vitriol could be a lot more severe if things don’t go to plan for him in LaLiga.

Aldridge warns Trent to expect ‘brutal’ criticism in Spain

In his latest column for the Liverpool Echo, John Aldridge – who left Merseyside for Real Sociedad in 1989 – has given Trent an idea of the criticism that he can expect in Spain if he endures even one poor performance for Real Madrid.

Recounting his two years in San Sebastian, the former Reds striker wrote: “It will be interesting to see how he gets on there. I played in Spain for a couple of years. Every day, football papers come out. One bad game [and] you’re going to get absolutely annihilated. It’s brutal.”

(Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

The Bernabeu natives can be notoriously vicious

Even when the Liverpool vice-captain has been pilloried by pundits in this country, match-going Reds supporters have continually stood by him, with the only discernible heckles coming during a particularly error-strewn performance against Manchester United at Anfield in January – and context is important in that instance.

It came just days after reports emerged of LFC rejecting an offer from Real Madrid to sign him that month rather than waiting to obtain him on a free transfer this summer, and we hope for ther 26-year-old’s sake that he knows what he could be in for in the Spanish capital if he fails to live up to expectations.

Gareth Bale won four Champions League titles with Los Blancos, yet he was still jeered by fans at the Bernabeu for perceived poor performances. Kylian Mbappe has been given the same treatment in recent months during a season in which he’s scored 35 goals.

That’s two more than Mo Salah has plundered for Liverpool this term – could you imagine supporters at Anfield heckling the Egyptian because of a couple of below-par outings? Not a chance.

Signing for Real Madrid might be a ‘dream’ move for many footballers, but the club’s fan base are notoriously unforgiving of anything less than consistent excellence, particularly in an era when they’re won numerous Champions Leagues and have social media on which to vent their spleen.

If Aldridge thought playing for Real Sociedad 35 years ago was ‘brutal’, imagine what Trent could be in for at another Spanish club with far greater expectations in an era of elite players being held to higher standards than ever before. That’s what our outgoing vice-captain is signing up for…