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Just as Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to be building some traction at Real Madrid, manager José Mourinho swiftly made clear that natural midfielder Federico Valverde remains his first-choice right back.
For only the fifth time this campaign, Alexander-Arnold was handed a start at the weekend, completing the full 90 minutes in his side's 3–0 victory over Racing Santander. The England international delivered an "excellent and well-balanced" display, according to Mourinho, creating two chances and contributing to a clean sheet.
Perhaps Alexander-Arnold felt he had finally turned a corner with the Portuguese tactician, who had previously preferred summer arrival Denzel Dumfries at the beginning of the season. Yet Mourinho still does not consider the former Liverpool man his top choice on the right side—that distinction now goes to Valverde.
"The truth is the squad was built with Valverde in mind as a midfielder and with two good and different right backs," Mourinho said on Tuesday ahead of Los Blancos' Champions League fixture against AEK Athens. "Fede, in this preseason setup, was a midfielder. This means we don't have many midfielders, and I am sure Fede will surely play as a midfielder again at some point.
"If you ask me if I'm very happy with him as a fullback, the answer is yes. If you ask me if the team is better with him as a fullback and is playing better football with the combinations between him and Arda [Güler] in that area, the answer is also yes.
"I think Fede will play as a fullback because we all like him there, but he will also have to play in midfield."
Valverde Makes the Trip to Greece
Mourinho's assertion that Real Madrid function better with Valverde at right back comes on the very day the Uruguayan rejoins the squad. The captain sat out the weekend fixture after picking up an injury scare against Barcelona, which gave Alexander-Arnold the opportunity to start against Racing.
But Alexander-Arnold's place in the starting eleven appears to have been fleeting. Valverde traveled to Greece with Los Blancos and is fit to feature in Wednesday's Champions League encounter. Whether Mourinho opts to slot the 28-year-old straight back into his lineup is yet to be determined, but he is available as an option.
Valverde famously stated he "wasn't born to play at fullback" last season after being deployed in the role under Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso amid a wave of injuries at the club. He made his preference for midfield abundantly clear, yet one season on, he finds himself back on the right flank.
There is simply no questioning how much more effectively Real Madrid have performed with Valverde anchoring Mourinho's defensive line. The Uruguay international started at right back against Sevilla, RB Leipzig and Barcelona—and Los Blancos claimed all three victories, netting 10 goals and conceding just three in the process.
Valverde was also shifted to right back during the second half against both Villarreal and Roma, a move that played a part in Los Blancos clinching three points in each contest. The results and performances speak for themselves, continuing to suggest that Valverde may well have been born to play fullback after all.
Where Does Valverde's Emergence Leave Alexander-Arnold?
As though competing for minutes with Dumfries wasn't already a daunting enough challenge, Alexander-Arnold now finds himself in an uphill battle against Valverde as well.
It is a remarkable fall from prominence for the two-time Premier League champion, who departed boyhood club Liverpool to sign with Real Madrid ahead of the 2025–26 season. Injuries hampered his debut campaign in the famous white jersey, and now his second season is being disrupted by unexpected competition.
Speculation about a return to England has emerged, with Chelsea and Liverpool among the clubs reportedly keen on landing Alexander-Arnold's signature this January. Recent reports suggest the right back is fully committed to Real Madrid, but circumstances can shift dramatically over the coming months—particularly if the 28-year-old continues to find himself warming the bench in the Spanish capital.