Trent Alexander-Arnold believes Real Madrid silenced their critics after a dominant 3–0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

Federico Valverde scored a sensational first-half hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, giving Madrid a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg.

Madrid had faced criticism in the build-up to the match following inconsistent performances in recent weeks, but Álvaro Arbeloa’s side produced one of their best displays of the season to take control of the tie.

Speaking after the match, Alexander-Arnold said many had expected the Spanish giants to struggle against City.

“It was a massive performance. I think a lot of the noise when the draw happened and then leading up to this game,” he told TNT Sports.
“Especially with the way we’ve been playing the last few games and the results we’ve had, a lot of people just expected us to get battered tonight.”

The England international praised the mentality within the squad, highlighting the club’s deep connection to the competition.

“It just shows the mentality. It doesn’t matter what injuries you’ve got, what players are out — this competition means a lot to the club.”

Madrid were missing several key players for the clash, including Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes. Despite those absences, Valverde’s remarkable treble ensured the record 15-time European champions took a comfortable lead into the second leg.

After the match, Arbeloa reserved special praise for his captain’s outstanding performance.

“I’m very happy for Valverde,” he told reporters.
“I think he is the Juanito of the 21st century… he is a perfect representation of Real Madrid.”

Juanito, a legendary figure at the club during the 1980s, was famous for his fighting spirit and passionate character — qualities Arbeloa believes Valverde now embodies for the modern Madrid side.