MADRID — Alvaro Arbeloa praised Trent Alexander-Arnold, saying Actual Madrid are “fortunate to have” him after the full-back starred, offering an help, within the workforce’s 4-1 win over Actual Sociedad on Saturday.
Alexander-Arnold’s ball into the field arrange Gonzalo García to place Madrid forward 5 minutes into the sport on the Bernabéu, earlier than two penalties from Vinícius Júnior and a aim from Federico Valverde secured the victory and put Madrid high of the LaLiga desk.
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The England worldwide has had a tough first season in Spain, with accidents limiting him to only 466 minutes — and two assists — in LaLiga since his high-profile transfer from Liverpool final summer time.
“We’re not going to find something new about Trent,” Arbeloa informed Actual Madrid TV. “It was a pleasant shock to see how he understands the sport, how he sees the areas. These issues are crucial for a coach, having gamers who perceive what we would like.”
Arbeloa picked Alexander-Arnold at right-back forward of Dani Carvajal, after each gamers returned to health, with Valverde returning to his most popular midfield function.
Spain worldwide Carvajal got here on for Alexander-Arnold after a formidable 60-minute show.
“Working with [Alexander-Arnold], he strikes me as a really clever man, who understands the sport very nicely, and shortly grasps what we would like from him,” Arbeloa added in his post-match information convention.
“He is not the everyday full-back who’s at all times going to be out huge, he can even play centrally. We wish gamers to have the ability to interchange positions. We’re fortunate to have a participant like that.”
Arbeloa additionally praised Vinícius Júnior, who has now discovered the web in back-to-back league appearances for the primary time since August, having been suspended final weekend.
“I have been seeing an ideal Vinícius for a month now, not simply on this match,” Arbeloa mentioned. “He is been enjoying at a really excessive degree, being a game-changer. For me, he is a participant who goes past the numbers, able to influencing matches.”
Kylian Mbappé was an unused substitute on Saturday — changed by García — however Arbeloa mentioned he believed the star ahead can be out there to function in Madrid’s Champions League playoff first leg at Benfica on Tuesday.
“Mbappé has been coping with [left knee] discomfort for fairly a while,” Arbeloa mentioned. “He is placing in an ideal effort each time he goes on the pitch. As we speak we determined to not take any dangers with Tuesday in thoughts.”
