Xabi Alonso Slams "Unacceptable" Dani Carvajal Red Card Decision

Real Madrid's 2–1 victory against Marseille in their opening 2025–26 Champions League fixture was marred by complications involving their preferred right-back options.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced to leave the field just five minutes into the match with what appeared to be a hamstring problem that will keep him out of action for an extended duration. Los Blancos seemed prepared to cope with the England star's withdrawal, having club icon Dani Carvajal available as cover, or so it appeared.

Carvajal came on for the injured Alexander-Arnold but later in the contest, he received a direct red card following a confrontation with Marseille's keeper Gerónimo Rulli.

Real Madrid managed to secure victory despite being reduced to ten men. However, Xabi Alonso will need to find solutions for the unavailability of both Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold in their next European fixture, a predicament he feels could have been prevented.

"The dismissal was preventable from our side," Alonso commented after the match. "It's disappointing and we'll need to address this matter."

Rulli also discussed the incident following the game and disclosed that he could sense Carvajal instantly recognized his error. Now, Real Madrid might face significant challenges.

The duration of Carvajal's suspension remains unconfirmed, but should UEFA's Disciplinary Committee classify the offense as violent conduct, he could be banned from Los Blancos' next three Champions League encounters against Kairat Almaty, Juventus and Liverpool.

Should Alexander-Arnold's rehabilitation proceed as expected, the English defender might be available for the Liverpool away fixture, though it may still be premature for him to complete the entire match.

Carvajal's moment of madness will force Alonso to utilize players in unfamiliar positions for Madrid's forthcoming Champions League games, with Fede Valverde, Raúl Asencio and Eduardo Camavinga being the primary options.