Real Madrid officials, and specifically president Florentino Perez, were furious with coach Alvaro Arbeloa after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Mallorca, which effectively ended their chances of winning the La Liga title this season.
The gap between Real Madrid and Barcelona widened to seven points after the Catalan club’s 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid, with only eight rounds remaining in La Liga, bringing Hansi Flick’s team much closer to retaining the title for the second consecutive year.
Perez blames Arbeloa for the defeat against Mallorca
According to the newspaper “Sport,” Perez’s patience with Arbeloa’s tenure has run out, and the coach will not continue in his position next season if things don’t go as planned.
Real Madrid’s management held Arbeloa responsible for the defeat against Mallorca, citing his excessive rotation of players in the starting lineup and his management of the match throughout the ninety minutes. They argued that he was the main reason for the team’s loss and the end of their hopes of reclaiming the La Liga title, which has eluded the Santiago Bernabéu.
Arbeloa’s decision to rest Vinicius Junior, start Eder Militao, and leave out Thiago Pitarch from the Mallorca match surprised Pérez and his entourage. While it’s true the coach is trying to prepare for the Champions League match against Bayern Munich, this doesn’t justify fielding reserve players in a crucial La Liga fixture.
Arbeloa will leave Real Madrid unless one condition is met
Real Madrid’s management was satisfied with Arbeloa after the victory over Manchester City and the recent run of positive results in La Liga. However, the loss to Mallorca has brought things back to square one and puts Arbeloa’s future in jeopardy once again.
According to the latest report, the only way for Arbeloa to remain as Real Madrid’s coach next season is to lead the team to the 2026 Champions League final.
Arbeloa’s task appears extremely difficult. Even if he manages to overcome Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals, he will face a formidable challenge against the winner of the Paris Saint-Germain vs. Liverpool match in the semifinals.
The man who officiated the 2018 crisis will referee the Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich match
With the La Liga title lost, and should Real Madrid be eliminated from the Champions League before the final, the Madrid management will not hesitate to dismiss Arbeloa and search for another coach capable of achieving success and returning the club to the winners’ podium next year after a second consecutive trophyless season.
Arbeloa’s tactical abilities, in particular, are highly questionable. Of the seven matches in which Real Madrid have trailed, they have only managed to come back in two, a statistic that suggests the promising coach’s game management is not optimal or suitable for a club of Real Madrid’s stature.
Arbeloa’s Record with Real Madrid So Far
Despite the current pressures, Arbeloa is highly regarded by the Real Madrid management for his courage in relying on homegrown players and getting some stars back on track, such as Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior.
Arbeloa took over as Real Madrid coach in mid-January following the dismissal of Xabi Alonso after losing the 2016 Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia to Barcelona.
The 43-year-old coach has led Real Madrid in 18 matches so far, achieving 13 wins and suffering 5 defeats. Under his leadership, the team has scored 41 goals and conceded 21.
All five of Arbeloa’s defeats were very impactful, starting with the Albacete match in the round of 16 of the Spanish King’s Cup, then the 4-2 loss to Benfica at the end of the league stage of the Champions League, then the 2-1 loss to Osasuna and the 1-0 loss to Getafe in La Liga, and finally the defeat at Son Moix, which complicates Real Madrid’s chances of winning La Liga.
