Trent Alexander-Arnold will spend the next month on the sidelines at Real Madrid due to a hamstring injury.
The England international has endured a mixed start to life in the Spanish capital with just two starts from their opening four La Liga games.
Xabi Alonso opted to recall him for Los Blancos' opening 2-1 UEFA Champions League win over Marseille but it was a short-lived night to forget for Trent.
As the former Liverpool defender dropped to the turf after just five minutes, Alonso and the home crowd feared the worst, with club captain Dani Carvajal immediately thrown on as his replacement.
However, Carvajal also did not last the full game, as the veteran full-back was sent off for a headbutt on Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli on 72 minutes.
Two Kylian Mbappe penalties secured victory for Alonso but the post-game focus centred on Trent.
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Alonso confirmed further tests would be needed, but reports from Marca indicate an absence of six to eight weeks, with other outlets indicating six weeks will be the maximum.
Both scenarios will leave Alonso short of options at right-back with Carvajal now suspended for the UCL trip to Kairat Almaty on September 30.
How many Real Madrid games will Trent miss?
Woking off the optimistic call of Trent being back fit after six weeks, he will miss eight Real Madrid games, and England's two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October.
That will include the derby with Atletico Madrid on September 27 and the El Clasico tie with Barcelona on October 26 - plus two UCL games.
Trent's Games missed for Real Madrid
- Espanyol (H) - La Liga - Sep. 20
- Levante (A) - La Liga - Sep. 23
- Atletico Madrid (A) - La Liga - Sep. 27
- Kairat Almaty (A) - Champions League - Sep. 30
- Villarreal (H) - La Liga - Oct. 4
- Getafe (A) - La Liga - Oct. 19
- Juventus (H) - Champions League - Oct. 22
- Barcelona (H) - La Liga - Oct. 26
Will Trent play against Liverpool?
As Trent departed the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu pitch, this was already the questions on the minds of Real Madrid and Liverpool fans, ahead of a Champions League reunion at Anfield on November 4.
That game falls at the seven-week point in his recovery, and the early signs look positive over hitting his six-week target, but match sharpness will decide Alonso's call on whether to involve him or not.
Who replaces Trent at Real Madrid?
Carvajal's red card vs. Marseille only applies to Champions League games and his instant ban means he will not travel to Kazakhstan at the end of September.
UEFA will make an imminent call over whether to increase the suspension from the automatic one game to more - and due to violent conduct being involved - he could miss out against Juventus, and potentially Liverpool.
With the veteran defender back to full fitness following an ACL injury, Alonso will be happy to start in him in all La Liga games, but the threat of extended European ban will force a rethink.
Marathon man Fede Valverde covered there last season but Alonso has indicated his preference to drop Raul Asencio in as emergency cover for Carvajal and Trent.
Real Madrid news and related links
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- Xabi Alonso makes honest admission about working with Mbappe, Vini and Rodrygo