English right-back could make his first start in 10 weeks at Vallecas
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Trent Alexander-Arnold has fully recovered from a hamstring injury and is fit and “ready” to play against Rayo Vallecano.
The England international marked his return when he came off the bench for the final minutes of Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in midweek, his first appearance since September.
The home crowd at Anfield jeered the 26-year-old on his return to a club he had left in controversial circumstances last summer.
Alonso said Alexander-Arnold’s recovery has gone according to plan and hinted that he could feature from the start at Vallecas, though he stopped short of confirming it outright.
“Yes, Trent is ready,” Alonso said. “He’s been training for a few weeks. Tomorrow you’ll know if he starts or not. In the circumstances, [Federico] Valverde has played there and done well, he’s always ready to help the team. It’s an option we have.”
Alexander-Arnold’s opportunities at Madrid have been limited since his arrival, with Dani Carvajal’s strong early-season form keeping him out of the side before both players got injured. In total, the English right-back has played just 165 minutes this season.
