Trent Alexander-Arnold ruled out for up to six weeks, casting doubt on Liverpool return

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been ruled out for between four and six weeks with a left hamstring injury sustained early in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Marseille, the club announced on Wednesday, putting his scheduled return to Anfield on Nov. 4 in doubt and threatening his availability for the next two international breaks.

The 26-year-old right-back pulled up just three minutes into the match and was replaced. Real Madrid went on to win 2-1 courtesy of a brace from Kylian Mbappé, but the result was overshadowed by the loss of Alexander-Arnold and a later incident that cost the replacement, Dani Carvajal, a straight red card after a VAR review.

Real Madrid’s medical staff have provided the four-to-six-week recovery window as the club assesses the extent of the hamstring strain. That timetable leaves Alexander-Arnold in a race against time to be fit for Madrid’s visit to Liverpool in the Premier League on Nov. 4 and raises the prospect that he could miss England’s next two international breaks, a potential setback for his hopes of establishing himself in the national side ahead of major tournaments.

Alexander-Arnold’s start to life in Spain has been mixed. He has been omitted from the starting XI for two of Madrid’s last three LaLiga fixtures and has faced competition from long-serving captain Carvajal for the right-back berth. Carvajal, 33, is in his 13th season with the first team and has collected 26 trophies during his time at the club. Manager Xabi Alonso has described the situation as healthy internal competition, saying previously that whoever "deserves it" will play and that selection will be repeated throughout the year.

The injury occurred after Alexander-Arnold’s transfer to Madrid this summer, a move that generated significant attention given his prominent role at Liverpool and England. He has yet to secure an undisputed starting place at Madrid, and the hamstring problem complicates his attempt to establish himself in Xabi Alonso’s side.

Carvajal’s dismissal against Marseille followed a VAR check that upgraded an on-field incident to a straight red card for a headbutt on goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli. The red card leaves Madrid light at right-back for upcoming fixtures while Alexander-Arnold progresses through rehabilitation.

Medical teams typically treat hamstring strains with a period of rest, physiotherapy and graduated fitness work before players resume full training and match play; the exact recovery depends on injury grade and response to treatment. Real Madrid’s statement did not specify the grade of Alexander-Arnold’s strain or give a precise return date, only the four-to-six-week estimate.

The injury will be monitored closely by both club and national team staff. Alexander-Arnold’s absence would deprive Madrid of defensive options on the right and could influence selection conversations for England, where competition for fullback and wing-back roles is intense.

Real Madrid’s fixture list and the club’s internal assessment will determine the next steps in the defender’s rehabilitation. The club did not indicate whether Alexander-Arnold would begin a contact phase of training in the coming days or provide a more specific timeline before the four-week mark.

If the longer end of the estimate proves accurate, the defender would not be available for selection until late October or early November, narrowing the window to recover ahead of the Liverpool match and the international schedule that follows.