The honeymoon period is well and truly over for Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid, with footage emerging that suggests all is not well in the Spanish capital.

Video clips from Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Real Betis appear to show veteran defender Dani Carvajal mocking Alexander-Arnold from the substitutes' bench. The 34-year-old Spain international can be seen making a walking motion with his fingers whilst watching the action unfold, with social media speculation suggesting it relates to Alexander-Arnold's defensive work rate during transitions.

The footage captures Carvajal glancing across to teammates, exchanging words and gesturing towards the pitch before mimicking the walking motion. The clip then cuts to match action showing Alexander-Arnold losing out in a challenge before Betis string together passes and advance down the right flank.

Whilst nothing is definitive about Carvajal's intentions, the timing and context have raised eyebrows about the atmosphere within the Madrid dressing room. It would represent a significant development if tensions are indeed simmering between the former Liverpool star and his new teammates.

Caretaker boss Alvaro Arbeloa has been forced to address speculation about rifts within his squad, particularly after leaving Carvajal out of recent matchday squads. The manager was keen to dismiss any suggestions of problems with the Spanish veteran.

"You can see, since I've been here, what my answers have been about him, and you can ask my players how I speak about Dani Carvajal with the group," Arbeloa said. "People are trying to put an unjustified, unfair spin on this. He's more than ready to go to the World Cup. He's started games for us, and he's done well. He's a fundamental player, on and off the pitch, and for the national team it should be the same."

Arbeloa was equally supportive of Alexander-Arnold, defending the former Liverpool defender's contributions since arriving at the Bernabeu. "Trent Alexander-Arnold is showing a great level. His performance is beyond doubt. Right now he deserves to play, and when he hasn't played, Carvajal has done well. I'm not a coach to gift a minute to anyone."

The incident comes at a particularly difficult time for Madrid, whose season is rapidly unravelling. The draw with Betis, sealed by former Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin's 94th-minute equaliser, leaves them 11 points behind Barcelona in the title race after Marcus Rashford's strike helped secure a crucial 2-0 victory at Getafe for the Catalans.

Madrid's campaign has been nothing short of disastrous, with early exits from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich and a humiliating Copa del Rey defeat to second division side Albacete. Their prospects of lifting any silverware this season are looking increasingly remote.

For Alexander-Arnold personally, it has been a chastening first season in Spanish football. After a troubled start hampered by injury, he has worked his way back into Arbeloa's starting eleven, featuring in each of the last five fixtures. However, the scrutiny around his defensive contributions clearly hasn't gone away.

The former Liverpool favourite faces an uphill battle to convince Thomas Tuchel to include him in Germany's World Cup squad, having been omitted from the manager's previous selection. With tensions apparently brewing at club level and international recognition still elusive, Alexander-Arnold's bold move to Madrid is looking increasingly like a miscalculation.

Whether the footage represents genuine criticism from Carvajal or simply unfortunate timing remains to be seen, but it's another unwelcome distraction for a player who needs to focus on his performances rather than dressing room politics.