Dani Carvajal mocked Trent Alexander-Arnold’s lax approach to defending during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Real Betis.
The Spanish fullback was spotted mimicking his teammate’s half-hearted attempt at tracking back as the hosts countered down the left wing.
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The former Liverpool star moved to Madrid last summer at the end of his contract on a free transfer.
Footage supplied by RM4 (via @centregoals on X) showed Carvajal apparently mocking Alexander-Arnold whilst sat on the bench during the La Liga clash.
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To be completely fair to the 34-year-old, his point was rather valid, given that Trent can be seen barely jogging back into his own half.
The Scouser’s approach to the defensive side of his game has long been a hot topic during his playing career. Certainly, the likes of Gary Neville and Co. have not been shy about hammering our former No.66 as a defensive liability.
Listen, we still don’t appreciate the manner of Trent’s exit at Liverpool.
But let’s get one thing straight: if you’re focusing entirely on the defensive side of his game, you’re ignoring the generational quality he brings when the ball is at his feet.
If anyone can name five better passers of the ball in world football, we’ll be mightily impressed!
Can Alexander-Arnold’s inclusion still hurt teams from a defensive perspective? Of course.
We saw as much during the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich in the Spanish capital.
The England international is caught ball-watching when Serge Gnabry receives the ball.
The No.12 still has his eyes glued on Gnabry and the ball as Luis Diaz rounds him into the Madrid box.
By the time Trent Alexander-Arnold reacts, it’s already too late. His former Colombian teammate has already passed his opponent and sets himself up for a one-on-one with Andriy Lunin.
Should our ex-Red be scanning on a more regular basis when defending an attack close to goal? Yes.
Should he be putting a bit more gusto into tracking back for an opponent’s counter? Yes.
But it’s still incredibly sad to see such a creative genius be mocked by a teammate after what was supposed to be, in Alexander-Arnold’s view, a dream move.