Every day Mail journalists choose and curate the merchandise that characteristic on our website. In the event you make a purchase order through hyperlinks on this web page we’ll earn fee – study extra
In some ways, Xabi Alonso’s alternative of phrases to the press on Tuesday night utilized to Trent Alexander-Arnold too.
‘The second of fact has arrived. Tomorrow, the rock and roll begins,’ Alonso charismatically insisted, when he was requested about Actual Madrid’s id beneath him.
Lower than every week after the official formalities in Spain, the second of fact arrived for Alexander-Arnold too as he made his debut within the all-white of Los Blancos.
The truth is that there was little rock and roll from him towards an Al-Hilal aspect that Madrid have been anticipated to dispatch, however they have been held to a draw by the Saudi Arabian aspect after Federico Valverde’s ninetieth minute was saved by Bono.
In mitigation, Simone Inzaghi’s aspect have been far more comfy within the Miami warmth however this was a Madrid efficiency that left extra questions than solutions for Alonso.
For Alexander-Arnold, who lacked the arrogance that we had received so used to seeing in a Liverpool shirt, it was an early reminder too that it isn’t so simple as simply placing on one other shirt and doing what he has accomplished earlier than.
Trent Alexander-Arnold made his Actual Madrid debut towards Al-Hilal on the Membership World Cup
However the former Liverpool star struggled and didn’t look his regular self on Wednesday evening
Alexander-Arnold attracted consideration upon his arrival on the Arduous Rock Stadium in Miami
From the second he stepped on the pitch for his walk-on, he seemed considerably in awe of the entire scenario and keen to not put a foot fallacious.
As Jude Bellingham went by his expressive pre-match rituals, Alexander-Arnold stood there watching somebody 5 years youthful than him and desperately ready for the motion to get began.
When it did, that shyness translated to his play within the first-half as he hardly ever ventured ahead within the method he loves. Maybe it was as a result of he didn’t wish to get caught out defensively and it was clear after the break that he was advised to be extra expressive by Alonso. The 20 minutes after the break have been much more encouraging, earlier than he was changed within the sixty fifth minute in situations that have been removed from perfect for soccer.
When Madrid arrived on the Arduous Rock Stadium in temperatures exceeding 30 levels and in severe humidity of 65 per cent, the three greatest cheers have been reserved for Alexander-Arnold, Alonso and the veteran Luka Modric.
If something, it was a sign of the worldwide standing that Alexander-Arnold already possesses.
Given the climate, the Madrid gamers have been exempt from carrying their typical formal apparel and every of them walked in with short-sleeve buttoned-up baseball model shirts.
Slick, to say the least and naturally Madrid led with the image of Alexander-Arnold on their international social channels.
For context, they’ve over triple the next (176million) of Liverpool (47million) on Instagram.
Alexander-Arnold was higher within the second half however he was substituted within the sixty fifth minute
Al-Hilal usually focused the defender after they attacked down Actual’s proper hand aspect
On the pitch, there was by no means actually any doubt about whether or not Trent would make his debut right here, with Dani Carvajal injured and Madrid having paid Liverpool a charge of £8.4M simply so the 26-year-old may play on this competitors.
Alonso emphasised pre-match that the Madrid group on the finish of the match could be significantly better than the group towards Al Hilal.
Inside that was an early message too for Alexander-Arnold, who by all accounts has impressed in coaching at their Palm Seashore base additional up the East Coast. A lot in order that the Spanish sport newspaper Diario AS outlined: ‘It’s clear, a Galactico has been signed.’
That a lot is clear however spending time with the Madrid press over the previous few days has additionally outlined how a lot they’re involved about his defensive skills.
They know nicely sufficient, having watched Madrid tackle Liverpool on seven events since Alexander-Arnold made his debut.
The identical outlet wrote that he ‘carries a stat which casts a protracted shadow’, describing it as his ‘Achilles heel’. Since his debut in 2016, he’s probably the most dribbled-past defender within the Premier League.
‘He has the qualities to have an incredible affect with the ball, however as nicely he’s a defender, and he must defend,’ Alonso insisted.
On paper, this was probably the most profitable European aspect towards probably the most profitable Asian aspect however inside a removed from full stadium – not helped by the weekday 3pm kick-off – it was Al-Hilal who made the stronger begin and seemed unbothered by the brutal warmth.
That they had eight pictures within the first half-hour and had left-back Renan Lodi’s objective disallowed for offside after a transfer down the best flank which noticed Alexander-Arnold lose monitor of his man.
At any time when that they had the ball, Madrid’s right-hand aspect was focused, with the pairing of Rodrygo and Alexander-Arnold hardly wanting the strongest out of possession.
The water break got here on the excellent time for Alonso’s aspect although, with Alexander-Arnold taking part in a component in a brutal Madrid counter-attack that noticed Rodrygo tee up Gonzalo Garcia for the opener. However Al-Hilal hit again nearly immediately by a Ruben Neves penalty.
Madrid got here out of the blocks after the break, with Alexander-Arnold working in a way more superior function and getting able to ship extra crosses earlier than he was taken off for Lucas Vasquez with 25 minutes to go.
He didn’t have a nasty sport although it definitely wasn’t a dream debut like Bellingham’s in 2023, when the Englishman scored a objective in a Madrid win. However keep in mind, Rome wasn’t in-built a day.
