Alvaro Arbeloa ultimately didn’t even last six months at Real Madrid. Arriving in mid-January to replace Xabi Alonso, struggling with his locker room, the technician failed to achieve the results. He even did worse than his former teammate at the Merengues and in the national team, starting with this defeat in Albacete in the Copa del Rey. The rest was not any better between tensions in the locker room between the players, problems between certain executives and Arbeloa himself. The last match of the season at the Bernabéu against Athletic will be an opportunity to greet the supporters.
It was too much for the coach, who probably does not have the shoulders to take on this position which is too exposed for him. He announced his departure yesterday at a press conference, and will undoubtedly be replaced by José Mourinho in the days to come. “I hope this is just goodbye. I have always considered Madrid my home. I’ve been there for 20 years. It’s my home. It’s my last match of the season, I don’t know if it will be the last of my career as Real Madrid coach, you never know. I’ll try to take advantage of it. And I’m focused on winning“.
La Fabrica will regret it
The players and undoubtedly some of the fans will not regret it but in the mysteries of the club, the reality is different. For a little over 5 years, the former full-back held different positions at La Fabrica, the Real Madrid training center, until taking charge of Castilla, the reserve team, with quite a bit of success. “They completely exhausted him», deplores a member of the center to Marca. His five monthstumultuous» with the first team pale in comparison to the indelible mark he left at Valdebebas.
Meticulous and planner, Arbeloa modernized the performance-related departments. And then there is the concrete, what is seen on the ground. Under his leadership, many young people from the training center have progressed, some have even played in the first team, like Thiago Pitarch of course, but he is not the only one. Before them, and even if they did not all succeed at Real, Nico Paz, Chema, Jacobo Ramón and Yusi can thank their time in the hands of the coach. Real took advantage of this by recovering a lot of money thanks to their sale. During his time at Castilla alone, the overall value of the team increased by €80 million in estimated values. Some at the club regret his departure…
