Jose Mourinho addresses Trent Alexander-Arnold's Madrid future

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has addressed speculation surrounding Trent Alexander-Arnold's future, insisting that helium does not expect the erstwhile Liverpool defender to question a determination distant contempt losing his spot to Federico Valverde.

The England planetary has endured a frustrating spell astatine the Santiago Bernabeu, with Mourinho preferring to deploy the Uruguayan midfielder astatine right-back up of 2 specialists successful Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries.

However, the Portuguese manager has present explained the reasoning down that arguable decision, admitting that leaving some defenders connected the seat has been uncomfortable.

Speaking up of Sunday's La Liga brushwood with Racing Santander, Mourinho revealed that helium had personally discussed the concern with Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries, some of whom had responded positively.

The 63-year-old besides confirmed that Valverde would not commencement against Racing, offering 1 of the 2 defenders an accidental to reclaim the position.

Mourinho addresses Alexander-Arnold's Real Madrid future

Alexander-Arnold's constricted engagement has prompted questions astir his semipermanent prospects successful Madrid, with speculation linking the erstwhile Liverpool prima with a imaginable instrumentality to the Premier League.

Mourinho's caller enactment decisions person lone intensified those concerns.

Despite having 2 established planetary right-backs available, the Real Madrid brag has preferred Valverde successful the presumption during his side's caller resurgence, which includes 5 consecutive victories crossed each competitions.

However, Mourinho acknowledged that his tactical penchant had created a hard concern for the players affected.

"This pains me. I don't similar creating atrocious feelings successful my players; I similar creating bully ones," Mourinho explained during Saturday's property conference, arsenic quoted by Real Madrid's authoritative website.

"When you physique a squad based connected 2 players per presumption and past marque a 3rd play, it's thing I don't like, that hurts me, and that makes maine sad."

The erstwhile Chelsea and Manchester United manager nevertheless insisted that his determination had been based wholly connected the team's tactical requirements.

"I thought that astatine that peculiar moment, the champion happening for the squad was to alteration the midfield and play Fede arsenic a overmuch much violative full-back than the others, reasoning astir the squad and little astir the players."

Valverde's repositioning has allowed Mourinho to experimentation with antithetic midfield combinations, including the usage of Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva alongside Aurelien Tchouameni.

The accommodation has coincided with Madrid's improved performances, astir notably their 2-1 triumph implicit Barcelona successful past weekend's El Clasico.

Mourinho revealed that helium had explained his reasoning straight to the 2 players whose opportunities had been restricted.

"I person had bully acceptance from Trent and Dumfries erstwhile we explained to them that it was a determination for the squad and not against the players."

Asked astir the anticipation of either defender seeking an exit, Mourinho added: "I don't deliberation they volition beryllium asking for immoderate benignant of exit."

His comments supply a effect to the uncertainty surrounding Alexander-Arnold, whose reduced engagement has already fuelled speculation astir a imaginable departure.

However, Mourinho's assurance that the England planetary volition stay astatine the nine should not beryllium mistaken for a warrant implicit his aboriginal oregon an assurance that helium volition instrumentality to the starting lineup permanently.

Valverde lack creates caller accidental for Alexander-Arnold

The contiguous concern has changed up of Madrid's travel to Racing Santander, with Valverde omitted from the travelling squad aft experiencing muscular discomfort pursuing El Clasico.

Mourinho had initially announced that the 28-year-old would not commencement Sunday's match, but Madrid subsequently confirmed their squad without the Uruguayan.

That improvement leaves Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries competing for the right-back position, though the manager has not revealed which subordinate volition person the nod.

The circumstances are peculiarly important for Alexander-Arnold, who has struggled to found himself arsenic Mourinho's preferred enactment since the Portuguese manager took charge.

The determination to commencement Valverde against Barcelona had raised caller doubts astir the futures of some recognised right-backs.

Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries were yet introduced during that victory, but their engagement did small to settee questions astir the longer-term hierarchy.

Mourinho has present sought to reassure his defenders that opportunities volition travel arsenic Madrid navigate a demanding schedule.

"In the end, everyone volition play," helium insisted.

The Spanish giants look Racing connected Sunday earlier travelling to Greece for a Champions League brushwood with AEK Athens connected Wednesday, followed by different distant fixture against Valencia adjacent Saturday.

Mourinho pointed to the accumulation of matches, fatigue, suspensions and imaginable injuries arsenic reasons wherefore helium volition request to rotate his squad.

For Alexander-Arnold, Sunday's lucifer could truthful correspond an important accidental to show that helium tin conscionable the tactical demands which person led Mourinho to favour Valverde.

His manager has attempted to disregard concerns astir a imaginable departure, but the conflict for regular playing clip remains unresolved.