Huge blow for Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s injury overshadows Athletic Club win: Is it serious, and how long will he be out?

Real Madrid’s resounding victory over Athletic Club was supposed to be a statement of power. Instead, it ended with a cloud hanging over the team, one centered on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose latest setback could have major repercussions.

Real Madrid’s resounding victory over Athletic Club was supposed to be a statement of power—a night in which Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr. reminded La Liga of its title ambitions. Instead, it ended with a cloud hanging over the team, one centered on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose latest setback could have major repercussions. Real Madrid delivered its most complete performance of the season, but a troubling scene involving the Englishman has left both the squad and the fanbase uneasy.

Los Blancos dismantled Athletic Club in a 3-0 win that restored confidence after a difficult three-match stretch without a league victory. From the opening whistle, the team played with the intensity and authority that manager Xabi Alonso had been demanding.

Mbappe was electric, striking twice—once with a stunning curler from distance, and again with a ferocious shot after the break—to reach 16 league goals in 15 matches, a staggering output for his debut season in Spain. He was relentless, tormenting defenders and proving once more why he remains football’s most unstoppable force.

Behind him, Jude Bellingham dictated the rhythm, while Vinicius kept Athletic pinned back with persistent runs in behind. Real Madrid’s shape, pressing, and transitions were sharp, disciplined, and ruthless. But beneath the brilliance came the unexpected: a moment that silenced the Whites’ bench and turned jubilation into tension.

What really happened to Trent Alexander-Arnold — and the aftermath

In the 55th minute, just as he was enjoying arguably his best performance for Real Madrid—including a gorgeous early assist from the right flank—Trent Alexander-Arnold suddenly fell to the ground. The full-back had just played a long pass down the right when he appeared to land awkwardly. Moments later, Bilbao’s Alejandro Rego stepped onto his foot in a follow-through, twisting it under the Englishman’s body weight. Trent immediately sat down, stretching out both legs as he signaled to the bench.

“He requested the substitution straight away,” reported Cadena COPE, noting that the club was “concerned before the tests have even been carried out.” By the time the English midfielder reached the touchline, Real Madrid’s medical staff already feared the worst. The report goes on to add that, internally, the La Liga giant has seen the last of the 22-year-old star as far as 2025 is concerned.

This is the third injury of Trent’s debut season, raising significant concerns about his physical adaptation to Spanish soccer. “Following tests carried out today by the Real Madrid Medical Services on our player, Trent Alexander-Arnold, he has been diagnosed with a muscular injury to the rectus anterior quadriceps in his left leg,” the club said in a statement. “His progress will be monitored.”

Alexander-Arnold is expected to miss “about two months” of action, according to the BBC and Marca. He will, thus, have to sit out a number of crucial matches. Based on medical evaluations, Alexander-Arnold is expected to sit out around eight to nine La Liga matches, as well as the Spanish Super Cup, the league phase of the Champions League, and the early stages of the Copa del Rey, which extends into February.

Double blow: Camavinga also forced off

Only ten minutes after Trent left the pitch, Eduardo Camavinga also limped off following a strong tackle from Alex Berenguer. The French midfielder, who had already scored the visitors’ second goal of the evening, was seen clutching his ankle as he exited.

While early indications suggest Camavinga’s issue may be less serious, the timing could not be worse. Real Madrid faces a brutal run of fixtures: Celta Vigo next, followed by a season-defining showdown with Manchester City in the Champions League.