Alexander‑Arnold Returns to Central Midfield – Mourinho Defends His Place Despite Inconsistencies

The England full‑back’s midfield stint was a stop‑gap measure, forced by suspensions to Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva that limited Mourinho’s central options.

Playing alongside Federico Valverde, Alexander‑Arnold delivered a mixed performance: he created two scoring opportunities and attempted more crosses than any of his teammates, yet failed to win a single tackle. His passing accuracy also slipped to 83.3 %.

He was taken off in the 77th minute after Inter reduced the deficit, prompting whistles from the crowd. However, those reactions appeared to stem more from overall frustration with Madrid’s performance than from any individual criticism of Alexander‑Arnold.

This was the first competitive start for Alexander‑Arnold and Denzel Dumfries together as right‑backs. The pair also began a pre‑season friendly against Fiorentina, with Alexander‑Arnold reverting to his customary right‑back role while Dumfries pushed higher up the flank.

Mourinho still lacks a settled right‑back, meaning Alexander‑Arnold must once again fight for a starting place, just as he did with Dani Carvajal last season, now competing with Dumfries for the role.

According to BBC Sport, Mourinho remains impressed by the England international’s performances, professionalism and the versatility he adds to the squad.

Mourinho considers Alexander‑Arnold distinct from many traditional full‑backs due to his ability to drift into central areas and contribute to attacks from midfield positions.

His passing, crossing, through balls and set‑piece delivery remain among his strongest attributes.

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