First-year Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso tweaked his standard formation against RB Salzburg in the final match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup — a tournament missing Liverpool — group stage, a contest Madrid needed to secure at least a point from in order to advance.
The Spanish manager shifted Aurelien Tchouameni into the middle of a back three between new signing Dean Huijsen and veteran Antonio Rudiger. To accommodate, he siphoned fellow new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold out to right wing-back.
The move was a tremendous success in the first half. The English international had limited defensive responsibilities against an attacking-indifferent Salzburg side and flourished as a creator from the right touchline.
The move allowed Alonso to tap into a skill Liverpool coach Arne Slot mostly put on the backburner last campaign: Alexander-Arnold's tremendous crossing.
The Dutch manager converted the former Liverpool star into a much more conventional fullback, and Alexander-Arnold's stats reflected a changed player from the one he was under longtime coach Jurgen Klopp.
Under Slot, his 74.9 passes per/90, 3.73 shot creating actions per/90, and 45.0 carries per/90 were the lowest since the 2017/18. His 2.74 tackes per/90 were a career high
Most astonishingly, his 5.82 crosses per/90 were his lowest ever across a Premier League campaign, marking a shift from the player who once established himself as a delivery specialist as a teenager.
Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold's first-half heat map (Image: Sofascore)
Against Salzburg, Alexander-Arnold attempted seven crosses... in the first half. He connected on three of them, including an impressive ball with his left foot onto the head of Antonio Rudiger that nearly found the net.
It was a strong first half overall for the 26-year-old. He completed 30 of his first 31 passes (37/39 overall), won four of six ground duels, and logged 54 touches — a sign he's involved in buildup, albeit from a different location on the pitch.
Madrid raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde in the pouring Philadelphia rain as Salzburg offered little resistance.
Alexander-Arnold was substituted by Alonso in the 65th minute of his club debut against Al-Hilal and in the 78th minute of his second match.
The former Liverpool player changed his number from No. 66 with the Reds to No. 12 with Los Blancos. He also opted to switch Alexander-Arnold from the back of his shirt to just "Trent" with his new club.