Madrid, Dec 4 (IANS) Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury-hit start to his Real Madrid career continues with the club confirming he suffered a serious hamstring injury during Wednesday night’s 3-0 win away to Athletic Club.

“Following tests carried out today on our player Trent Alexander-Arnold by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the rectus femoris of his left quadriceps,” informed the Real Madrid website.

Although the club fails to give a recovery date, saying only “his recovery will be monitored,” Spanish sports paper Diario AS reports the defender will be out of action for at least two months.

That means he will miss La Liga games against Celta Vigo, Deportivo Alaves, Sevilla, Real Betis, Levante, and Villarreal, as well as the Spanish Supercup in Saudi Arabia and Real Madrid’s remaining Champions League group matches against Manchester City, Monaco, and Benfica.

Alexander-Arnold has struggled with injuries since joining Real Madrid in June, beginning with a muscle problem in July, which delayed his pre-season training.

He then suffered a hamstring injury on September 16, which sidelined him for a month, and he only began to start games on a regular basis following the recent international break.

Real Madrid’s fears were well-founded. Alexander-Arnold has a muscle tear in the back of his hamstring and is set for two months out of action, as per Diario AS. He will miss the Spanish Supercup, the remainder of the league phase of the Champions League, the Round of 32 and Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, and six Liga matches. In Europe, Los Blancos face Manchester City, Benfica, and AS Monaco, while Atletico Madrid await in the Supercup semifinal.

In La Liga, Los Blancos take on Celta Vigo, Alaves, Sevilla, Real Betis, Levante, and Villarreal, as part of a potential 13 games that Alexander-Arnold may miss. Rayo Vallecano on the final weekend of January would be the earliest he could be back in action, but it is most likely that their trip to Mestalla to face Valencia on the 7th or 8th of February marks his return.

–IANS

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