Trent Alexander-Arnold's Shocking Absence from Real Madrid's Clash Against PSG Explained

Real Madrid faces Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals without the services of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The English defender has been excluded from Xabi Alonso's squad for this crucial encounter due to an injury concern. According to COPE reporter Miguel Ángel Díaz, Alexander-Arnold experienced a training ground setback before the semifinal showdown.

The ex-Liverpool player is dealing with muscular issues in his right leg. While the complete severity of the problem remains unclear, it's significant enough to rule Alexander-Arnold out of what could be the most important game of his brief Real Madrid tenure.

Before this injury occurred, Alexander-Arnold had been a consistent starter throughout Los Blancos' journey to the Club World Cup semifinals.

This setback represents a major disappointment for Real Madrid. Although he had a difficult beginning, Alexander-Arnold was gradually improving his performances in the famous white jersey, providing assists in his previous two matches during the tournament in the United States.

With the 26-year-old unavailable, Alonso has chosen to deploy natural central midfielder Fede Valverde as his replacement. The Uruguayan player showed excellent form on the right side during Carlo Ancelotti's last season as manager and must once again adapt to an unfamiliar position in this critical fixture.

Raúl Asencio has also been selected in Alonso's improvised defensive setup, taking the place of suspended Dean Huijsen. Additional unexpected choices in Los Blancos' starting eleven include an attacking trio of Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé and Gonzalo García.

If Los Blancos advance to the Club World Cup final, Alexander-Arnold's availability for a potential match against Chelsea remains uncertain.