Trent's ostracism and a possible abrupt ending

Trent Alexander-Arnold has fallen to third-choice right-back at Real Madrid after Fede Valverde's repositioning and Matthijs de Ligt's arrival, playing just one minute in the last four matches.

After three months of competition, José Mourinho appears to have found the balance Real Madrid has been seeking, evidenced by their victory at Camp Nou against Barcelona. The absence of suspended Vinicius, the emergence of players like Diomande, Bernardo Silva and Arda Güler, and especially Fede Valverde's repositioning as right-back have been key to the team's improved consistency.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been one of the biggest casualties of this new direction. The former Liverpool player arrived as first-choice right-back after Dani Carvajal's departure, but Mourinho's request for Dumfries and Valverde's new position have relegated him to third option. After an inconsistent first season interrupted by a serious muscle injury at San Mamés, Alexander-Arnold's opportunity to regain prominence is slipping away. He has featured in just 7 of 13 official matches this season, starting in four (one as midfielder against Inter) and missing six entirely.

The turning point came in the league match against Villarreal on October 10, when Trent started but was substituted in the 52nd minute for Vinicius, prompting Mourinho to deploy Valverde as emergency right-back for the first time. In the last four matches, Alexander-Arnold has played only one minute—in the final moments of the Clásico against Barcelona.