The infamously ruthless Spanish media have weighed in on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Jekyll-and-Hyde performance during Real Madrid’s 1-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.
A late consolation goal from Kylian Mbappe kept the tie alive after strikes from Luis Diaz and Harry Kane on either side of halftime threatened to turn it into a long night for Los Blancos. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side will head to the Allianz Arena next week with a remontada firmly in mind.
Former Liverpool defender Trent started once again and played the full ninety minutes in the Spanish capital. He was at fault for the opener but redeemed himself with a superb assist later on, showing glimpses of his class amid a rollercoaster performance.
Trent Alexander-Arnold vs Bayern
The general consensus for the out-of-favour England man is that, while he may be one of the best right-backs in world football based on attacking and creative ability, he lets himself down defensively - the main role on his job description. That was yet again the case in midweek, with Trent being highly effective in attack but not so at the back.
"Two very different sides to Arnold," was the way Sport.es put it, adding: "Up until the 75th minute, his performance was a disaster. Luis Diaz had a field day against the Englishman. He dribbled past him at will and, to top it all off, got behind him at ease for the first goal of the match. However, in the final minutes, he turned the game around. He salvaged his night with a tremendous pass to assist Mbappe for the 2-1 and began to create a lot of danger for Bayern with long passes." Football Espana rated him 6.5/10, and wrote:
"On the one hand, his pass and intervention for the Kylian Mbappe goal were outstanding. On the other, it was no surprise that Luis Diaz got in behind him for the Bayern Munich opener, and several occasions more, but Bayern did not take advantage. Alexander-Arnold almost needs separate ratings."
Meanwhile, AS noted: "He delivered a couple of good crosses in the first half but could not find a finisher. He also tried his luck with shots after making runs from deep. He kept Luis Díaz under control for most of the match, although he lost him on the opening goal. On the ball, he took a few too many risks at times. Still, his technique is exquisite, and he used it to assist Mbappe for the only goal.
Trent's Attempts at World Cup Involvement is in Vain
Thomas Tuchel
Trent’s role in Real Madrid’s only goal on Tuesday night offered a glimpse of the different dimension he could bring to England’s creative output at this summer’s World Cup. Quite simply, there isn’t another right-back anywhere near the same prototype as the former Liverpool man, and many felt he deserved a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for that reason.
England’s manager, however, has so far overlooked those qualities in favour of the likes of Reece James, Tino Livramento, and more recently, Ben White. That suggests any attempt by Trent to push for a late call-up would be in vain, with him yet to receive a single invitation from Tuchel.
By turning his back on Trent in favour of White, Tuchel appears to have contradicted his own words about selecting players based on impact and form rather than reputation. Or perhaps he simply values defensive solidity over the creative flair that some contemporaries in the position can provide. Either way, attention for Trent must now be wholly on reclaiming Champions League glory.