Trent Alexander-Arnold said there was an expectation Real Madrid would "get battered" by Manchester City on Wednesday, praising the team's "mentality" and "perfectly executed gameplan" in their 3-0 win in the Champions League round of 16.
Federico Valverde's stunning first-half hat trick put Madrid on top at the Bernabéu, with Vinícius Júnior's failure to convert a second-half penalty the only negative for coach Álvaro Arbeloa's side ahead of next week's second leg in Manchester.
Madrid have been in inconsistent form since Arbeloa took charge in January, with four defeats -- to Albacete in the Copa del Rey and Benfica in the league phase, and consecutive LaLiga losses to Osasuna and Getafe -- raising the prospect of the 15-time European champions ending the season trophyless.
"[There was] a lot of the noise when the draw happened and leading up to this game," Alexander-Arnold told TNT Sports. "Especially with how 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.
"But we showed the mentality. It doesn't matter what injuries you've got, what players are out. This competition means a lot to the club and us as players understand that... We executed the gameplan perfectly in the first half."
Madrid went into the City first leg without stars Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, as well as Éder Militão, Rodrygo, Álvaro Carreras, David Alaba and Dani Ceballos.
"People will say that they're favourites, and going off results and the way both teams have been playing, it could have been true," Alexander-Arnold said. "But when you get to knockout football in the Champions League, anyone can beat anyone... We scored our goals very very ruthlessly."
- From non-league to Champions League: Man City's Semenyo joins exclusive club
- Jeremy Doku warns Real Madrid: Man City 'still believe'
- Transfer rumors, news: Arsenal join Man City in race for Newcastle defender
Madrid are four points behind rivals Barcelona in the LaLiga title race, while their form in Europe -- losing to Liverpool, City and Benfica in the league phase -- seeing them rated by many as being outside the favourites to win the Champions League.
"I think the size of the game is the main thing," Alexander-Arnold said. "I don't want to say that other games are less important, but when there's so much hype around a game and so many eyes on it, as a player you know you need to perform. Especially when you play for a club like this, there are no excuses, you have to win."