Trent Alexander-Arnold has been warned that he is not a guaranteed starter for Real Madrid after giving birth by Xabi Alonso on Sunday.
Alexander-Arnold and Vinicius JR were surprisingly mentioned among the replacements for the second Lalala match of Real Madrid of the season against Real Oviedo.
Instead, Alonso mentioned club captain Dani Carvajal and Rodrygo in his starting line-up, despite reports that connect the latter to an exit before the transfer window closes.
A Kylian Mbappe-Brace and the Stoppage Time of Vinicius, who came up in the 63rd minute, saw Real Madrid achieving a 3-0 win over the newly promoted side.
Alexander-Arnold only got a small cameee, with the full back in the 87th minute from the couch.
It meant a great shift in the time of Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool, where during his nine seasons he had been in the first team until the first names on the team.
In his last season in Liverpool, Alexander-Arnold made 44 performances in all competitions with 37 of those who come as a starter.
Real Madrid boss Alonso has warned that a place in his starting line-up is not guaranteed, but claimed that every member of his team would be important, regardless of their role.
“We have more than 20 players in the team and I'm going to try to get the best out of them all,” said Alonso after the game.
'Sometimes they can be starters and be important, or just play for a few minutes and be important.
'I have not made any decisions for the following month. I want people to feel important, ready, there are for the next game. '
Alonso had refused last week to confirm whether Alexander-Arnold or Carvajal will be his first choice this season, and emphasizes that the two 'exceptional' players are vital because of a large number of matches they will play this season.
However, according to athletics, people in the vicinity of Carvajal believe that he will hold his place in the startline-up of Real Madrid at the expense of Alexander-Arnold.
Carvajal, 33, had already been out most of the 2024-25 season after a front cruciate ligament injury.
The club legend, who made 430 performances and won 26 major trophies in Real Madrid, returned from the injury at the end of last season.
Carvajal will be looking to continue where he had gone after being fourth in the Ballon d'Or or voices in 2024 after a remarkable season for Club and Land.
He had earned the nomination after winning La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup and Champions League with Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season, with the full return score in the final of the latter.
Carvajal then won Euro 2024 with Spain the same summer.
His return to the starting line-up seems to offer Alexander-Arnold a challenge, after his £ 10 million relocation from Liverpool.
Real Madrid had expressed the transfer costs to sign him prior to the FIFA Club World Cup, even though he was available on a free transfer when his contract ended at the end of June.
Alexander-Arnold has so far made seven performances for Real Madrid, but was criticized by a part of the fans, as well as Liverpool supporters, for his Larga debut against Osasuna last week.