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RMA
AFCON 2025
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Trent Alexander-Arnold is back to his best at Real Madrid according to new boss Alvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid cruised past Real Sociedad 4-1 on Saturday, moving to the top of the LaLiga standings even without Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in the starting XI.
The spotlight fell on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose pinpoint pass set up Gonzalo García’s opener and drew glowing praise from Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa.
Trent’s moment of magic for Real Madrid
The standout moment came when Alexander-Arnold spotted the forward making a run in behind the Real Sociedad defence and curled an inch-perfect pass into his path, requiring only the faintest of touches to flick the ball into the back of the net.
Speaking after the game, Arbeloa hailed the Englishman, saying, “Trent is a top, top player returning to his best level. I'm not surprised, he's so intelligent. He understands the game incredibly well, his quality, his IQ, he is just unbelievable.”
The coach added that it was “a great match, considering the opponent and their streak, unbeaten under [Pellegrino] Mattarazo... We’ve had a great week of training, we prepared very well and it showed on the pitch.”
What next for Los Blancos?
With confidence high following the LaLiga triumph, Real Madrid now turn their focus to a crucial Champions League playoff meeting with Benfica.
Arbeloa and his side are determined to make amends after being denied automatic qualification last month, using moments like Alexander-Arnold’s brilliance as a blueprint for success:
“We’ve had a great week of training, we prepared very well and it showed on the pitch,” Arbeloa reiterated, emphasising the importance of preparation, tactical awareness, and individual quality for the challenges ahead.