Real Madrid’s Champions League opener against Olympique Marseille ended in a 2-1 win, but the night was overshadowed by a devastating blow to new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The England international, who was making his long-awaited debut for Los Blancos, lasted just five minutes before limping off with what was later confirmed to be a hamstring injury. Early assessments suggest he will be out for 6–8 weeks, potentially missing up to two months of action.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Real Madrid, with high-stakes fixtures on the horizon against Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool. His absence leaves Carlo Ancelotti short of options in the right-back position, especially after Dani Carvajal who replaced him was sent off late in the game.
Despite the injury setback, Kylian Mbappé’s brace from the penalty spot secured Madrid’s opening victory, while Álvaro Carreras impressed on his left-back debut. Still, the spotlight remains on Alexander-Arnold, whose injury raises serious concerns about Madrid’s defensive stability in the coming weeks.