Trent Alexander Arnold started in midfield for the first time at Real Madrid in a 2-1 Champions League win over Inter Milan.
The right back signed from Liverpool as a free agent last summer but had a difficult first campaign as the team went trophyless.
Things got more complicated for ‘Trent’ in the summer when Real signed Denzel Dumfries as their new starting right back.
However, against Inter he played to the right of Fede Valverde in a 4-2-3-1 double pivot and was part of a big win against tough opposition.
Trent had previously played 90 minutes at right back against weaker opposition in a 4-0 LaLiga win over Malaga.
However, this was his first match in midfield, and Mourinho thought there was plenty to build upon.
Mourinho reviews Trent’s midfield debut
Speaking post-match, he said: “He interpreted his tactical role very well.
“He and Valverde worked very well on the transitions between Barella and Curtis Jones.
“He did have a few turnovers, because it’s not the same playing with the whole field in front of him as with half the field behind him, although he had played in that position before.
“He gave his all; when he came off, he had nothing left to give. I appreciate the effort he made for the team, and I also appreciate Tchouaméni’s, whose last touch of the ball was in the World Cup semi-final.”
On Madrid’s performance as a whole, he added: “It could have ended 5 or 6-1 for us, or 6-6. I don’t mean to say that they could have won because we created more chances.”
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