Former Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold’s difficult week continued on Sunday, with the defender reportedly excluded from the Real Madrid squad for disciplinary reasons. The full-back was unexpectedly absent from the line-up for the Madrid derby against Atletico on Sunday evening.

The 27-year-old has been in the starting XI for all of Madrid’s last four Champions League matches and, prior to last week’s triumph over Elche, had featured in five successive La Liga games. However, it was Dani Carvajal who Alvaro Arbeloa chose at right-back on Sunday, with Alexander-Arnold reportedly benched after arriving late for a training session.

According to Spanish outlet Marca, Alexander-Arnold “arrived late to one of the final training sessions of the week”, with Arbeloa sending a “clear message with a decision focused on discipline and dressing room order.”

Marca further reports that Arbeloa “respected the team’s code of conduct and made the necessary decision to maintain order within the group.”

This news follows a week in which Thomas Tuchel left out the defender from his expanded 35-man England squad.

“I know it’s a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw. These tough decisions come from the job,” Tuchel commented on the decision.

“It’s a sporting decision. We stick with Tino Livramento, Djed Spence and Jarell Quansah who can all play at right full-back.

“It’s a tough one, it’s a big name, a huge talent and a big career, but I know what Trent can give us and have decided to stick with the players we have.”

Since leaving Anfield last summer, Alexander-Arnold has endured a mixed debut season in Spain, disrupted by two injury setbacks. He has appeared in 25 fixtures for Los Blancos and earned praise for his display in the Champions League tie with Manchester City.

Alexander-Arnold’s recent return to the squad has silenced speculation about a possible summer exit, with Spanish reports previously indicating that Arbeloa was not wholly convinced by the Liverpool academy graduate.

The defender could face the Reds once more this season, having played against his boyhood club in November’s Champions League fixture at Anfield.

If the Reds prevail over Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid eliminate Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, the two European giants would meet again in the semi-finals.