Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho passed over Trent Alexander-Arnold for the starting job in the first two games of the 2026/27 La Liga season against Espanyol and Real Sociedad, but he gave the England international the nod this weekend against returning giants Malaga.
And the former Liverpool man took one thousand percent chance of this opportunity, dazzling as one of the many stellar players on the pitch for Real Madrid. Trent put in a kingly performance at right back both offensively and defensively, looking like an elite defensive midifelder on the right flank with how he read the game and produced chances for his team.
Trent had more passes that anyone else on Real Madrid, and he put them to great use, too, recording an assist and creating at least three chances for his teammates. He was constantly teasing dangerous crosses and long balls early out of the back, while he recorded four interceptions without having to make a single tackle, so good was he at anticipating plays.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is untouchable at what he does
Alexander-Arnold already came into the 2026/27 La Liga season with so much motivation to prove that he was worth the hype when he joined Real Madrid and that he can be even better than he was in his first season, and Thomas Tuchel somehow gave him even more motivation by inexplicably leaving him off the World Cup squad.
And now, the Denzel Dumfries signing this summer transfer window, compounded by Jose Mourinho's affinity for a fellow former Inter Milan hero, has given Trent Alexander-Arnold that much more fuel to have a crazy season.
Call it Mourinho mind games again, but benching Trent against Espanyol and Real Sociedad in favor of Dumfries may have woken up the 27 year old on Sunday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu. Because Trent absolutely cooked Malaga until they were fried and crispy, and then he sauteed them with the assist to Mbappe.
Look, Denzel Dumfries is a great player, and he is a special athlete who ranks among the elite right backs in his own right. But he can't do what Trent can do on the ball, creatively, and even in the way he sees the game on defense. When Trent is motivated, he is elite at everything and a truly special talent, and Real Madrid fans just saw him end all debates about what he can do and about how important he is to Real Madrid with his performance vs. Malaga.
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