Trent Alexander-Arnold: ‘Many anticipated Real Madrid would be overwhelmed’ by Man City
Trent Alexander-Arnold acknowledged that there was a belief Real Madrid would “get battered” by Manchester City on Wednesday, commending the squad’s “mentality” and “well-executed gameplan” in their 3-0 victory in the Champions League round of 16.
Federico Valverde’s remarkable first-half hat trick placed Madrid ahead at the Bernabéu, with Vinícius Júnior’s missed penalty in the second half being the only drawback for coach Álvaro Arbeloa’s team ahead of the second leg in Manchester next week.
Since Arbeloa took over in January, Madrid has shown inconsistent performance, suffering four defeats — to Albacete in the Copa del Rey and Benfica in the league phase, along with consecutive LaLiga losses to Osasuna and Getafe — raising concerns about the 15-time European champions potentially finishing the season without silverware.
“[There was] a lot of noise when the draw occurred and leading up to this match,” Alexander-Arnold told TNT Sports. “Particularly with our recent performances and results. Many anticipated we would get battered tonight.
“However, we demonstrated the right mentality. It doesn’t matter what injuries you have or which players are unavailable. This competition holds significant importance for the club, and we as players recognize that… We executed the gameplan flawlessly in the first half.”
Madrid entered the City first leg without key players Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, along with Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Álvaro Carreras, David Alaba, and Dani Ceballos.
“People may claim they are favorites, and based on results and the performances of both teams, that could be accurate,” Alexander-Arnold stated. “But in knockout football in the Champions League, any team can defeat another… We scored our goals with great ruthlessness.”
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Madrid trails rivals Barcelona by four points in the LaLiga title race, while their European form — losing to Liverpool, City, and Benfica in the league phase — has led many to consider them outside the favorites for the Champions League title.
“I believe the significance of the match is the primary factor,” Alexander-Arnold remarked. “I don’t want to imply that other matches are less critical, but when there is so much excitement surrounding a game and so many spectators, as a player, you understand the necessity to perform. Especially when representing a club like this, there are no excuses; you must win.”
