In many ways, Xabi Alonso’s choice of words on Tuesday applied to Trent Alexander-Arnold too.
‘The moment of truth has arrived. Tomorrow, the rock and roll begins,’ Alonso charismatically insisted, when he was asked about Real Madrid’s identity.
Less than a week after the official formalities in Spain, the moment of truth arrived for Alexander-Arnold too as he made his debut in all white.
The reality is that there was little rock and roll from him against an Al-Hilal side that Madrid were expected to dispatch. They were held to a draw by the Saudi Arabian side after Federico Valverde’s 90th minute penalty was saved by Bono.