Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has taken all the blame for what is expected to be the club’s second trophyless season in the last five years – while president Florentino Perez appears ready to use the Spaniard as a scapegoat.
The 15-time Champions League winner reached a low point in the 2024-25 season, failing to win a major trophy just a year after dominating Spain and Europe. Carlo Ancelotti paid for that failure with his departure and less than 12 months later, history is repeating itself at the Santiago Bernabeu.
On paper, this season is even weaker. Zero trophies, nine points behind Barcelona, several major scandals and the dismissal of Xabi Alonso turned what should have been a strong comeback into a real nightmare.
As usual at Real Madrid, the coach is the first to take responsibility. Arbeloa is learning this the hard way as his time in charge of the biggest club in the world draws to an inevitable end.
Reports suggest the club are already looking for a big-name replacement, with former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp continuing to be linked with a sensational return to the bench. However, Arbeloa can hardly be blamed for an unbalanced and ineffective squad – one built by Perez himself.
Florentino Perez’s transfer strategy appears to have failed
The problems started in the transfer market. Real Madrid had two clear needs: a replacement for Toni Kroos and reinforcements in defense. But what did the club do? They transferred Kylian Mbappe.
The season went exactly as expected, with key needs ignored. The midfield often failed to control the game against strong opponents, while the defense was further weakened by injuries.
In the summer, the situation did not change much. Luka Modric left, without finding a worthy replacement for him or Kroos. Although Xabi Alonso reportedly wanted to keep the Croatian, the club decided to follow a different – younger – direction.
Real Madrid strengthened their defence with Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and added attacking talent Franco Mastantuono. However, only Alexander-Arnold started from the first minute in the biggest match of the season against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.
Despite this, the team managed to be competitive against the team led by Vincent Kompany, largely thanks to Arbeloa’s courage in leaving several players in poor form on the bench.
Arbeloa united a broken team
In addition to tactical problems, Arbeloa also inherited a divided dressing room. At the end of the Xabi Alonso era, tensions were at their peak, with Vinicius Junior leading the discontent with the coach.
Perez decided to back the Brazilian and sacked Alonso after just 233 days. Arbeloa thus took over a team with stars and big egos, which often dictate Real Madrid’s fate.
However, he managed to gain the trust of the players and results began to improve. Real Madrid lost only two of their first 10 La Liga matches under his management and advanced past Benfica and Manchester City in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The team looked more united and Vinicius was back in excellent form, with 13 goal contributions in 16 appearances under Arbeloa.
But the old problems returned. Mbappe’s presence made the attack more predictable, there was a lack of a playmaker in midfield and injuries, such as that of Thibaut Courtois, had a big impact. In these conditions, the dream of a trophy was extinguished.
Even the best coach in the world would find it difficult to change this situation – and the example was last season with Ancelotti.
Second chances have only come to two coaches in Real Madrid’s history.
At most clubs in Europe, Arbeloa would have another chance. But not at Real Madrid. Perez historically only gives second chances to Zinedine Zidane and Ancelotti.
“I feel sorry for Arbeloa and a lot of Real Madrid players,” said Steven Gerrard after the 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich.
“They should feel sorry for them and he’ll probably lose his job. But I don’t think he deserves that, watching that game.”
Steve McManaman also shared the same opinion.
“History has always shown us that in these cases the coach is changed and I feel sorry for Arbeloa, because his game plan was excellent.”
Whether he deserves the sack or not, at Real Madrid there is always a “sacrifice” needed. And this time, everything indicates that it will be Alvaro Arbeloa – while Florentino Perez remains untouched, despite his role in building a team that has consistently failed in the last two years.
