Real Madrid have been dealt an early-season blow with Trent Alexander-Arnold expected to miss around two months after picking up a hamstring injury in the Champions League win over Marseille.
The England international pulled up just four minutes into Tuesday’s match at the Santiago Bernabeu, clutching the back of his left thigh before being replaced by Dani Carvajal.
Medical tests have since confirmed muscle damage, and reports in Spain suggest the recovery time will be between six and eight weeks.
That would sideline Alexander-Arnold for at least eight matches, including the Madrid derby against Atletico and the first Clasico of the season against Barcelona at the end of October.
His return to Anfield for a high-profile league-stage clash with Liverpool in early November is also in doubt.
The timing is particularly frustrating for the 26-year-old, who joined Madrid from Liverpool in the summer and had been easing into life under Xabi Alonso.
He has started just two La Liga fixtures so far but was seen as a key long-term addition at right-back. His absence now leaves Madrid thin in defence at a crucial stage of the campaign.
Carvajal will shoulder most of the load in his absence, but the 33-year-old is coming off a long-term knee injury and picked up a red card late on against Marseille that could see him miss European action.
Alonso may need to turn to makeshift solutions, with Fede Valverde and academy graduate Jesus Fortea among the options to provide cover.
Alexander-Arnold’s layoff also poses questions for England. With another round of World Cup qualifiers on the horizon in October, Thomas Tuchel will be monitoring his progress closely, though a return appears uncertain.
For Madrid supporters, the setback comes as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change.
Alexander-Arnold was billed as one of the marquee signings of the summer, and while his long-term importance to the squad is not in doubt, he must now watch from the sidelines as his team navigate a congested fixture list.
