Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will have sole authority to choose the next Real Madrid coach, rejecting any recommendations from officials or close associates. This move reflects his disappointment with how things have been run at the Santiago Bernabeu over the past year.
The newspaper El Mundo indicates that the Real Madrid president has definitively decided to part ways with Alvaro Arbeloa as first-team coach at the end of this season. The 42-year-old will be offered a return to coaching the reserve team.
Perez was initially opposed to appointing Xabi Alonso, but under pressure from those around him, he accepted the idea. He wanted to dismiss Alonso in December, but at the suggestion of CEO Miguel Angel Sanchez, he decided to wait until after the Spanish Super Cup, a decision that ultimately proved to be the final straw for Real Madrid.
Surprisingly, Pérez was also unconvinced by the appointment of Arbeloa instead of Alonso, but was forced into it due to the lack of other options. The result was a resounding failure for the Spanish coach, leading to a trophyless season for the second consecutive year.
For this reason, Pérez wants to make the decision himself, without any outside interference, to ensure the new coach aligns perfectly with his overall strategic vision for the upcoming project. The president considers this decision a “crucial one” for Real Madrid’s future.
He wants to bring in a coach capable of managing star players and handling a star-studded dressing room effectively and decisively. Furthermore, the new coach must have a proven track record of success in football, meaning he is not looking to hire a young, inexperienced manager.
In this regard, The Athletic reports that bringing back José Mourinho is currently Pérez’s preferred option.
The “Special One” had hinted at his desire to manage Real Madrid for a second stint, while media reports indicate he has already informed those close to him that he is ready to leave Benfica and return to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Mourinho’s return is not favored by many within Real Madrid, but Pérez has decided to make the decision entirely on his own, without consulting anyone close to him, making the Portuguese coach the current frontrunner to succeed Arbeloa in the Spanish capital.
