Trent to miss 11 games due to injury

Los Blancos did manage to win but the price of that victory has once again been paid through new personnel problems. On Friday, Real Madrid announced what the fans had feared most: Trent Alexander-Arnold is injured again, and at the very moment when Xabi Alonso thought the worst crisis was behind him. The Englishman left San Mames with visible discomfort, and further tests revealed an injury to the rectus femoris muscle of the left quadriceps—one of those that requires rest, time, and patience.

Trent arrived in Bilbao fresh after recently recovering from his previous thigh injury from September, which had kept him out for about 40 days. Xabi Alonso eased him back in gradually, giving him minutes through rotation, believing he had finally found stability at right-back—a position that has seen more players than usual this season. And then… another setback. At San Mames, against one of the toughest opponents in La Liga, the Englishman felt a tightening during a sprint, immediately asked to be substituted, and from his gestures it was clear: something was wrong. Real Madrid will be without him for at least ten matches, and in the worst possible part of the schedule. In the Champions League: Manchester City, Monaco, and Benfica; then the Spanish Super Cup: a semifinal against Atletico and a possible final; and in La Liga: Sevilla, Betis, Alaves. The expectation is that the English full-back will return to the pitch at the beginning of February.

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In the same match in Bilbao, Real were also left without Eduardo Camavinga, who felt pain in his left ankle after a challenge. The fans were already bracing for another wave of bad news, but this time the medical team brought some relief. The Frenchman has only a mild sprain of the left ankle, and additional tests will be carried out by Saturday. There is a chance he could be ready for Sunday’s clash against Celta, although the final decision will be made at the last moment. For Xabi, this is huge news, as Camavinga has recently become a key safety net in midfield—a man who can change the tempo, close down passing lanes, and cover any defensive problem that arises.