Jose Mourinho has placed Trent Alexander-Arnold in the midfield for Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Inter Milan, even though he has consistently stated that the 27-year-old is not a traditional midfielder. This decision came amid a shortage of players due to suspensions for Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler, and Bernardo Silva, which limited Mourinho’s options. Alexander-Arnold, known primarily as a right-back for Liverpool, was deployed alongside Federico Valverde in a midfield trio. His performance was mixed, as he created two scoring chances and attempted more crosses than any other Real player, but his passing accuracy dropped to 83.3%, and he did not win a single tackle. He was substituted in the 77th minute after Inter scored their second goal, leading to some fan frustration, though it may have been more about Madrid’s overall performance than Alexander-Arnold specifically. This was the first competitive match in which Alexander-Arnold and Inter’s right-back Denzel Dumfries started together. Both had previously played in a pre-season friendly against Fiorentina, with Alexander-Arnold playing as a right-back while Dumfries moved forward on the same flank. Mourinho has not yet decided on a regular starting right-back, and Alexander-Arnold is competing with Dumfries for the position, much like he did with Dani Carvajal last season. Mourinho has praised Alexander-Arnold for his versatility, work ethic, and ability to move into central areas, which sets him apart from traditional full-backs. Alexander-Arnold has shown success in midfield before, including scoring from that position during a 4-0 win over Malta in June 2023. However, England’s Gareth Southgate had experimented with him in midfield for 12 months during Euro 2024 before abandoning the approach after a lackluster draw with Denmark. Alexander-Arnold was substituted before the 60th minute in that match. Mourinho acknowledged that playing in midfield was physically demanding for Alexander-Arnold, who has a different playing style compared to a right-back. The midfielder noted that Alexander-Arnold had lost some balls due to the different physical and tactical demands of the position. Despite this, Mourinho praised Alexander-Arnold’s effort, saying he gave 100% and left the field completely exhausted. The move highlights Mourinho’s willingness to adapt and experiment with players who can contribute in multiple roles.