Trent Alexander-Arnold only lasted five minutes in his Champions League debut for Real Madrid before going down with a hamstring injury.
Real Madrid’s first European match under Xabi Alonso was nearly a disaster. Los Blancos went a goal behind to Marseille early on, had Dani Carvajal was sent off and then saw Alexander-Arnold become the latest addition to the club’s infirmary, clutching the back of his left thigh after just three passes at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Alexander-Arnold played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title win last term, and his departure has been keenly felt at Anfield, where Arne Slot is struggling to establish the optimal balance following Liverpool’s historic summer splurge.
It was hoped he’d have a similar impact in Madrid, with the revolutionary right-back’s signing and the arrival of Alonso signaling a new dawn at the club, but his absence from the team has been an obvious low point to date.
The England international had notched just 155 minutes of action this term before succumbing to his injury against Marseille, but the latest reports suggest Alexander-Arnold will return earlier than expected from his first fitness setback in sunny Spain.
When Will Trent Alexander-Arnold Return From Injury?
Subsequent tests conducted by Madrid meant Alexander-Arnold was expected to spend the next six to eight weeks on the sidelines.
He has so far missed five games, including Madrid’s heavy 5–2 defeat—their first reverse of the 2025–26 season—to crosstown rivals Atléti at the weekend.
A six-week absence from when he picked up the injury would mean Alexander-Arnold would be pushing to appear in his first-ever El Clásico on Oct. 26. However, it’s now been suggested that Alexander-Arnold could be ready to go immediately after the upcoming international break. As a result, he could make his comeback against Getafe on Oct. 19, a little over a month since the injury.
Madrid also have their next Champions League fixture scheduled in between the Getafe and Barcelona games, so there will be another opportunity for the right back to rebuild his fitness ahead of El Clásico.
Real Madrid’s Alternatives to Alexander-Arnold
Alonso desperately needs Alexander-Arnold back in action, given the lack of available right-backs at his disposal. Dani Carvajal is out for the next month with a muscle injury sustained at the weekend—Raúl Asencio was used out of position in Tuesday night’s 5–0 win over Kairat Almaty.
There’s also the option of playing the out-of-form Federico Valverde at right back, which is something the Uruguayan did regularly in the latter stages of Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure. He’s spoken for his dislike of playing in the role, though, stating in no uncertain times that he was ‘not born’ to play in the backline.
Castilla academy graduate David Jiménez is another option after recently being promoted to the first team by Alonso.
READ THE LATEST REAL MADRID NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Trent Alexander-Arnold Injury: Progress, Potential Return Date for Real Madrid Star.
