<figure id="attachment_3100210" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3100210" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3100210" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/772e3727-trent-alexander-arnold.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3100210" class="wp-caption-text">Trent Alexander-Arnold has steadily improved after creating the only goal in Real Madrid’s win over Italian giants Juventus. (AP pic)</figcaption></figure>
EAST RUTHERFORD: Real Madrid paid extra to bring defender Trent Alexander-Arnold in early from Liverpool to compete in the Club World Cup and it is paying off as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
The England international created the only goal of the game for Gonzalo Garcia as Xabi Alonso&#8217;s side beat Italian giants Juventus 1-0 in the last 16.
With Alonso moving to a back three as soon as he had the personnel available, Alexander-Arnold has benefitted from playing as a right wing-back in their last two matches.
That is where he is set to continue against German outfit Dortmund in New Jersey on Saturday at the MetLife Stadium.
Alexander-Arnold&#8217;s floated cross for Gonzalo against Juventus was the precise kind of attacking output that led Madrid to bring him in.
&#8220;He could have had many more assists already,&#8221; said Los Blancos goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
&#8220;In training, he is horrible to play against. His corner kicks are another level.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think I have seen a guy like this with such quality. As a goalkeeper it is a nightmare, but it will help make me better.&#8221;
Madrid skipper Dani Carvajal is back from a long-term injury but may end up being used more as a centre-back than in the wing-back position now that Alexander-Arnold has arrived.
Los Blancos paid as much as €10 million according to reports to sign the 26-year-old a month before his Liverpool deal expired, but have already made approximately €54 million for reaching the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
After struggling a little at right-back against Al Hilal in Madrid&#8217;s opening 1-1 draw, Alexander-Arnold has steadily improved.
Manchester City&#8217;s 4-3 defeat by the Saudi Arabian club showed in hindsight the defender&#8217;s problems were not entirely of his own making.
Repeat with a twist
As well as beating Dortmund in the 2024 Champions League final, Madrid came from two goals behind to thrash them 5-2 this season in the group phase of the same competition. However both teams have changed significantly since then.
They have new coaches, in the newly-appointed Alonso and Dortmund&#8217;s Niko Kovac, who has done a fine job since arriving in January, helping them secure qualification for next season&#8217;s Champions League.
Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen&#8217;s arrivals have shaken up Madrid&#8217;s defence, while Borussia Dortmund brought in Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland.
However the midfielder&#8217;s yellow card against Monterrey in the 2-1 last 16 win means he is suspended for the clash against Madrid and will therefore not face his older brother Jude Bellingham.
Madrid&#8217;s French striker Kylian Mbappe did not score in the rout of Dortmund in October amid a crisis of confidence, but since then has found top form.
After returning from a stomach bug as a substitute against Juventus, Mbappe will be keen to start against the Bundesliga side and add to his tally of 43 goals.
The former Paris St-Germain star, who is on a collision course with his former club in the semi-finals should they both progress, could come in for Gonzalo, despite the 21-year-old scoring three goals at the tournament.
&#8220;It&#8217;s inexplicable,&#8221; said the forward, whom Alonso compared to former Madrid great Raul, saying Gonzalo had some of the same qualities.
&#8220;I saw a great ball coming in from Trent, I saw Rudiger didn&#8217;t get to it and I said to myself, &#8216;this is mine!'&#8221; added Gonzalo of his goal against Juventus.
Alonso, who arrived at Madrid from Bayer Leverkusen, will take on his former Bundesliga rivals Dortmund.
&#8220;We know (him) very well, he worked two and a half years in Germany, and he did a fantastic job,&#8221; said Kovac.
&#8220;Now he&#8217;s implementing everything he had in Leverkusen at Real Madrid. So we&#8217;re expecting the same what we had in Leverkusen, only with different players.
&#8220;We&#8217;re looking forward to it but you have to play football for 90 minutes, and if we put everything onto the pitch, the same performance as we saw (against Monterrey), I think that we will have a good chance.&#8221;

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