Fede Valverde’s injury concern has changed the picture at Real Madrid, and it may yet reopen the right-back debate for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries ahead of Real Madrid Vs Aek Athens.
Valverde left El Clásico in the 62nd minute during Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Barcelona, having battled through the match before the issue forced him off. It was another reminder of how important he has become in an unfamiliar role, and how much his move to right back has shaped the balance of the team.
Before El Clásico, José Mourinho had been using Valverde at right back and limiting both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries. That has left two summer arrivals waiting for a clearer path into the side, even as Real Madrid’s results have remained strong.
Mourinho’s selection dilemma
The injury concern matters because Valverde’s performances at right back have been part of the reason Real Madrid have kept winning. He has given the team reliability in a position that had become a talking point, but it has also pushed Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries to the margins.
Alexander-Arnold arrived from Liverpool in the summer of 2025 for €12 million and was initially seen as a potential successor to Dani Carvajal. Dumfries, signed from Inter Milan for €20 million this year, has also found opportunities limited in recent months, despite being trusted more by Xavi Hernández than by Mourinho.
Mourinho addressed the balance issue directly, saying: “You can’t expect one to play 60 games and the other none. Or one to play 10 and the other 50. That’s not possible. We have a lot of quality.”
That is the heart of the problem now. Real Madrid have quality in the position, but not a settled solution that keeps everyone satisfied. If Valverde is unavailable, the door opens again for one of the two specialists to step in.
How much has Alexander-Arnold played?
The numbers underline how limited the rotation has been. Valverde has been used in 10 of 13 competitive matches, and in the immediate period before El Clásico the right-back role belonged to him rather than to Alexander-Arnold or Dumfries.
Dumfries has had his own strong workload in other settings, with Xavi Hernández using him for 350 of a possible 360 minutes during September’s international break. Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, has had to wait for a proper run of minutes since the switch.
Real Madrid will not want to lose Valverde’s influence, especially after a result that showed how effective he has been in the role. But his setback could force a rethink, and that makes the coming matches more significant for both right-backs.
For now, the picture is simple: Valverde’s versatility has helped Real Madrid in the short term, but his injury concern has also created an opening. Against AEK Athens, that may be the most important selection question in the team.
