Real Madrid: Spanish veteran returns from injury, Arnold s main position is in a hurry

Cavajal returned from injury, Arnold's main position was in a hurry

La Liga second round, Real Madrid played against Oviedo at home. Head coach Xavi Alonso made an unexpected decision: he signed Trent Alexander Arnold in the summer window of the first round of the league and was arranged to sit on the bench in this game. Instead, veteran Danny Carvajal, who just returned from injury. The change of array

instantly made Arnold's main position in danger.

Arnold got a starting chance in his La Liga debut against Osasuna last week. However, his performance did not meet the outside world's expectations and was far from the label of "the world's top right-back". Despite this, coach Alonso chose to trust new players. But Kavajal's timely return has put this trust in a huge challenge.

The Spanish international has missed most of last season due to a serious knee injury and has now fully recovered. He started against Oviedo, and used his steady defense and active running to prove that he still had top-notch competitive state and on-the-fighting ability.

Kawajal plays a pivotal role in the locker room. As one of the team captains, he is highly respected and trusted by his teammates and is regarded as the most reliable right-wing defender in the team at present. His strong return naturally made Arnold's situation awkward. More importantly, Kavajal himself does not hide his desire to compete. He knew clearly that competing with top new players like Arnold was not easy, but he firmly believed that the value of a player should be determined by the performance of the field rather than the transfer value. If the coach cannot properly handle this competitive relationship, conflicts within the team may be imminent.

Now, coach Alonso is in a dilemma: Arnold, who continues to join the high price, may exacerbate the locker room dissatisfaction due to poor performance; but if he is immediately demoted to a substitute, it may also damage the confidence of new players and affect his integration into the team.

In the coming weeks, Alonso must find a delicate balance between "helping Arnold build confidence" and "rewarding Kavajal's loyalty and contribution". How to manage the right-back position well will become the first major test Alonso faces in his new era when coaching Real Madrid. Once handled improperly, this may even turn into the first serious conflict within the team.