Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be sidelined for several weeks because of a hamstring injury.
Alexander-Arnold was forced off just five minutes into Madrid’s Champions League opener against Marseille at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night, with reports suggesting he could be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
However, following the comeback win, Real boss Xabi Alonso said that the club were going to wait a bit with Alexander-Arnold's injury, hinting it might not be too serious.
“We'll wait a bit; maybe it's not as bad as it seems,” Alonso told reporters.
"We have to be creative in finding solutions. [Raul] Asencio came in well. [Eduardo] Camavinga and Jude [Bellingham] are back and will be able to play on Saturday."
Real Madrid have since confirmed that Alexander-Arnold has sustained a hamstring issue,
A statement reads: "Following tests carried out today by the Real Madrid medical services on our player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg. Further updates will follow."
Will Alexander-Arnold face Liverpool?
After leaving Liverpool in the summer, Alexander-Arnold had been set to return to Anfield with Real Madrid in the Champions League on November 4.
That reunion is in serious doubt with the right-back potentially sidelined for between six to eight weeks. If it’s the latter then he will play no part at Anfield and won’t feature for Los Blancos again until after the November international break.
While a timeline for Alexander-Arnold’s return is yet to be revealed, the worst-case scenario will see him miss the first El Clasico of the season against Barcelona on October 26.
Furthermore, Alexander-Arnold - who was overlooked by Thomas Tuchel for England's September fixtures against Andorra and Serbia - now looks set to be unavailable for October’s camp and quite possibly November’s too.
Additional reporting by PA.
