Alvaro Arbeloa’s days as Real Madrid coach may be numbered, as Florentino Perez’s board is seriously considering sacking him in the near future.
Real Madrid lost 2-1 to Osasuna in La Liga, putting their lead at the top of the table in jeopardy. If Barcelona defeat Levante, the Catalan giants will reclaim first place after losing it last week.
According to the newspaper “Sport,” Arbeloa is now required to secure a victory against Benfica in the Champions League and advance to the Round of 16. Failure to do so will result in his immediate dismissal from the club.
Complaints have already reached the sporting management from several players expressing their dissatisfaction with Arbeloa’s tactics. Perez’s board is also reportedly puzzled by the coach’s approach to managing the players and his attempts to appease them at all costs, even if it negatively impacts the team’s performance.
Therefore, Pérez will not be lenient with Arbeloa if he exits the Champions League early at the hands of Benfica, even though the Real Madrid president hopes to avoid the scenario of appointing a third coach and the inevitable chaos that would ensue, jeopardizing Real Madrid’s chances of winning titles this season.
Arbeloa does not enjoy Pérez’s full confidence; the president even held him responsible for the defeat against Osasuna. Thus, the Spanish coach will have to respond with a good performance and result against Benfica, while avoiding easy slip-ups in La Liga and continuing to challenge Barcelona. Otherwise, the board will not hesitate to dismiss him.
