Moments after the ultimate whistle at Lincoln Monetary Area, Xabi Alonso embraced Trent Alexander-Arnold and the pair have been all smiles.
For Alonso, this was the primary assertion efficiency of his time as Actual Madrid boss, along with his facet enjoying three on the again and delivering a show of management that we are going to certainly see extra of as he begins to stamp his id on this group.
For Alexander-Arnold too, this felt just like the night the place every part started to click on after a shaky begin towards Al-Hilal and having to navigate the brutal warmth in Charlotte towards Pachuca.
Right here, because the rain poured down in Philadelphia, the 26-year-old was distinctive towards RB Salzburg, enjoying as a wing-back when in possession and dropping alongside Fran Garcia to make it a again 5, every time Madrid have been defending.
With 81 touches, 63 passes, the previous Liverpool man was closely concerned all through, displaying his vary of passing, and accomplished 90 minutes for the primary time in Madrid colors. No participant on both group made extra profitable tackles or interceptions.
The arrogance was maybe greatest summed up by a again heel cross to Jude Bellingham, which almost resulted in a Madrid objective.
The whole lot clicked for Trent Alexander-Arnold in Actual Madrid’s win over RB Salzburg
He was distinctive and closely concerned on his strategy to finishing the complete 90 minutes
The complete again pressured he loved his new function underneath Xabi Alonso and is relishing his teaching
Requested about his new function after, Alexander-Arnold pressured that he loved it and it’s one thing he expects to do extra of underneath Alonso.
‘I loved it (enjoying as wing-back). Adapting to a brand new function in a brand new group is at all times going to be a problem however I take pleasure in challenges. It will get the very best out of me personally,’ he informed Mail Sport. ‘Everybody’s acquired to get used to it.’
‘It labored clearly and that is a superb begin. There’s nonetheless work to do however it’s good indicators and our greatest sport thus far. I am having fun with being part of this group and I like enjoying soccer. Irrespective of the place I play, I like enjoying the sport,’ Alexander-Arnold insisted.
He admitted too that ‘it felt a bit extra like residence’ enjoying in cooler evening circumstances after Madrid’s first two video games on the Membership World Cup kicked off at 3pm native time.
‘The surroundings has made it more durable (to adapt), stated Alexander-Arnold. ‘This was so much cooler and with the rain, it felt a bit extra like residence and extra regular whereas whenever you’re enjoying at 3pm and it is ridiculously scorching and the pitches are dry, you are overheating and you may’t actually assume straight.
‘This felt much more regular and we have been capable of carry out the best way that we wished to for the primary time and get a extremely good win.’
For the boy who grew up idolising Alonso, he’s having fun with each second of working underneath the Spaniard and even pressured that his new supervisor might nonetheless play if he wished to.
‘The supervisor speaks to me so much individually to verify I perceive every part as a result of all of the conferences are in Spanish,’ stated Alexander-Arnold. ‘The best way he can adapt to completely different groups (is spectacular). We modified the best way we performed.
Alexander-Arnold additionally admitted it ‘felt extra like residence’ enjoying in notably cooler circumstances
No participant on both group made extra profitable tackles or interceptions in Philadelphia
Adamant his settling in interval is now achieved, Alexander-Arnold is set to kick on
‘We modified the system in a brief area of time and the best way he will get his messages throughout, he is very clear and we are able to perceive completely what we have to do as people and as a group, we all know what he desires from us.
‘When he joins in in coaching, you possibly can nonetheless see he is acquired excessive top quality, which is wonderful to see. I grew up watching him and he is not misplaced any high quality in any respect. He can nonetheless lace them up and get on the market with us if he wished to. He is nonetheless that good.’
With Juventus awaiting within the round-of-16 in Miami on Tuesday, Alexander-Arnold is adamant too that now it is time to kick on and that the settling in interval is completed.
‘The language is probably the most tough factor and it may take a little bit of time to adapt,’ he stated. ‘However I felt assured coming into the sport and comfy. It was at all times going to take me a few video games to get used to enjoying with new gamers, new lads in a brand new surroundings with a brand new coach.
‘That was at all times going to occur and I am pleased with the best way I’ve settled in. For me, it is about sustaining that degree now. The settling in interval is completed and it is about kicking on and being the very best participant I will be and serving to the group win as many video games as potential, beginning with this competitors. It is knockout soccer.
‘The historical past of this membership reveals that we win trophies. It is what we do. It is a part of the DNA of the membership. That is our goal and ambition and that is what we wish to do.’
