Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott could both be watching from the sidelines when Valencia host Real Madrid at Mestalla on Saturday evening, according to Goal.com. The two former Liverpool team-mates have not shared a pitch since the closing minutes of Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on May 25 last year, and Goal.com reports that a reunion this weekend is unlikely at best.
Alexander-Arnold is now at Real Madrid and Elliott is on loan at Valencia, but neither player's spell in Spain has gone to plan. Goal.com notes that both could be among the substitutes at Mestalla — if they make the matchday squads at all.
Why it matters
The fixture puts a spotlight on two English players who left Anfield with very different expectations. Alexander-Arnold arrived in Madrid regarded as one of the most exciting right-backs in world football, while Elliott departed after a season used mainly as a substitute. Goal.com reports that neither has been able to establish himself in La Liga, raising questions about how long each will stay in Spain.
For Madrid, the concern is that a marquee signing is not contributing. For Valencia, the concern is that a loan arrangement intended to benefit all parties has yet to produce anything for the player or the club.
Alexander-Arnold slips down the pecking order
Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool on a free transfer in the summer of 2025, turning down the prospect of eventually captaining the club after Virgil van Dijk's departure. Goal.com reports that Madrid were so keen to secure him that they paid Liverpool £8.3 million ($11.1m) for a player with only one month left on his contract, allowing him to feature at the Club World Cup.
He made a strong first impression by delivering his unveiling press conference in Spanish, and said he was eager to show his game, win titles and become a champion. According to Goal.com, none of those aims has yet been realised.
His first season in Spain was disrupted repeatedly by injuries, which prevented him from building momentum. A coaching change added to the instability: Xabi Alonso was dismissed in January and replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa, whom Goal.com describes as hapless. Only under Jose Mourinho, the report says, have Madrid begun to look like a settled side again.
That stability has not extended to Alexander-Arnold. Goal.com reports that Mourinho regards Denzel Dumfries and even midfielder Federico Valverde as ahead of him at right-back, leaving the England international as third choice in his own position.
Mourinho has acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation without offering a way out. Goal.com quotes him saying it hurts him to make players feel bad, and that he prefers them to feel good. The Madrid coach explained that when a squad is built with two players per position and a third ends up playing there, it is not something he appreciates — but that other considerations matter more for the team at a given moment. He said he felt the midfield needed changing and that using Valverde in that role was a decision taken for the team rather than for any individual.
Alexander-Arnold did play the full 90 minutes of last weekend's 3-0 win over Racing Santander, but Goal.com notes it was only his fourth start of the Liga season. It followed a single minute of action in the Clasico victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou. In midweek he was an unused substitute for a third consecutive Champions League match, as Madrid won away to AEK Athens through a late Valverde goal.
Given that pattern, Goal.com reports it is difficult to predict whether Alexander-Arnold will play any part against Valencia or remain on the bench.
Elliott's Valencia loan yet to take off
Elliott's situation is, if anything, less clear. Goal.com reports there is no guarantee he will even be named in Javier Aguirre's matchday squad for the visit of Madrid.
The midfielder joined Aston Villa on loan from Liverpool last summer with a view to a permanent transfer, a deal that appeared to suit everyone involved. According to Goal.com, it benefited nobody, and Elliott in particular endured a nightmare spell at Villa Park. His time at Mestalla has begun disastrously, the report adds.
The contrast with the pair's final appearance together at Anfield is stark. That day, Liverpool were presented with the Premier League trophy under Arne Slot after the draw with Palace. Alexander-Arnold had already announced his difficult decision to leave on a free transfer, and it was clear Elliott's time on Merseyside was also coming to an end. Goal.com notes that the occasion might come up if the two friends get the chance to talk before or after Saturday's game.
What to watch
Whether either player is involved at Mestalla will indicate how far each has fallen in his coach's plans. Goal.com's report suggests the more likely outcome is that both start on the bench, with Elliott's place in the squad itself uncertain.
