Xabi Alonso says he intends to rotate Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal at right back, with the competition for places a “healthy thing” for his squad.
The Spaniard’s decision to drop Alexander-Arnold, a summer arrival from Liverpool, to the bench for the 3–0 win over Real Oviedo raised a number of eyebrows, completely putting to one side that Carvajal remains one of the best right backs in the world and is the heart and soul of the capital team.
Alexander-Arnold was restored for Real Madrid’s third and final La Liga clash before the international break—a 2-1 win over Mallorca that would have seen him bag his first assist for a tremendous defense-splitting pass had Kylian Mbappé not strayed into an offside position.
With a glut of domestic and European fixtures about to pile up for Real Madrid, Alonso was asked about his plans for the pair moving forward—and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the Spaniard alluded to the fact that neither player will be capable of playing every game moving forward.
“Fortunately, we have healthy competition within the squad. That's good for the team and the players,” Alonso remarked. “They have to be pushed to give their best. You know there is strong competition, you see teammates who are ready to play.
“So far, Trent and Carvajal have both had an impact in other positions as well, whether that be at centre-back or out wide. I think it's a really healthy thing for the day-to-day in the squad, so nobody feels disconnected. Whoever deserves it the most will play. That will be the case throughout the year.”
