Former Liverpool star receives negative decisions from both Real Madrid and the England national team, facing a bleak future

According to Spanish media, Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold was removed from the starting lineup in the recent Madrid derby as a form of punishment for tardiness.

The star who developed at Liverpool seemed to have begun regaining his form in recent weeks. After a difficult start at the Santiago Bernabéu, he gradually gained trust and delivered a series of impressive performances, notably including a crucial display that helped Real Madrid defeat Manchester City in the Champions League.

However, things quickly turned negative last week. On Friday, Alexander-Arnold was not included in the 35-player list for the England national team announced by manager Thomas Tuchel. This nearly extinguishes his hope of being part of the official squad for the upcoming World Cup.

In the Sunday derby, the English defender again had to start on the bench as the coach chose Dani Carvajal for the right-back position. Alexander-Arnold only entered the pitch for about the final 15 minutes. According to revelations from The Athletic, the reason for this decision was his late arrival to a recent training session, thereby losing his starting spot.

The match ended with a 3-2 victory for Real Madrid. Vinicius Junior shone with a brace, while Federico Valverde also added a goal. For the visiting side, Ademola Lookman and Nahuel Molina scored. Valverde later received a red card at the end of the match, but the hosts preserved the win, maintaining a four-point gap over Barcelona in the standings.

Up to this point in the season, Alexander-Arnold has made a total of 21 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid, including 14 starts, with 6 appearances in the Champions League. He joined the Spanish Royal club on a low transfer fee from Liverpool in the summer, after his contract expired.

Nevertheless, adaptation difficulties and injury issues have significantly affected this defender's form, leading to his loss of position in the England squad. Manager Tuchel stated this was a "professional decision" as he prioritized options like Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, and Djed Spence for the right-back role. Meanwhile, the familiar first-choice Reece James remains injured.

It is expected that manager Tuchel will trim the list from 35 players to the final squad after the friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan during this international break. Notably, Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham remains in the call-up list.