Image Credits: Imago Images
Pressure comes fast at Real Madrid. One bad result can change the direction of a season. One poor night can start conversations nobody planned to have. That is the reality at the Bernabéu, and it is one Xabi Alonso knows well. Madrid are heading into a key LaLiga fixture against Alavés with noise building around the dugout. Results have not fully matched expectations. Performances have raised questions. At this club, questions rarely stay quiet for long.
What makes this moment interesting is not just the match itself, but the alternatives being discussed. Real Madrid are a club that often looks inward during moments of doubt. When uncertainty appears, the spotlight quickly turns to familiar faces who understand the badge, the pressure, and the standards. From a Liverpool point of view, this feels familiar. We know how quickly narratives change. We have seen former players step into leadership roles elsewhere and be trusted because of their history, not just their coaching CV. At Madrid, identity matters. Experience at the top level matters. And loyalty to the club is never ignored.
Right now, there is a sense that one result could open a door that nobody is officially talking about. Yet. That door, according to Cadena SER, leads to Álvaro Arbeloa. As per the Spanish outlet, “With Xabi Alonso’s position shrouded in uncertainty, Arbeloa’s name has emerged as a strong contender to replace him in the first team, a possibility that could be expedited if Real Madrid stumble against Alavés in the next LaLiga match.”
The former Liverpool right-back is currently in charge of Real Madrid Castilla. After a 3-1 win over CD Guadalajara, he was asked directly about the growing links to the first team if Alonso fails to beat Alavés. Arbeloa was clear. “I’m the Castilla coach. I’m focused on that, on Tuesday’s match against Manchester City and the one we have next Saturday at Balaídos against Celta Fortuna. There’s nothing else on my mind.”
He also defended Alonso strongly. “Xabi is a great friend of mine,” he said. “That’s why he talks about me and I about him, and nothing will change my opinion that he is an exceptional coach.” Arbeloa explained that they remain in constant contact. “The demands placed on a Real Madrid coach are very high,” he said. “We’ve discussed all of this this week, the youth players, the players we had for training.”
When asked if the club had contacted him about replacing Alonso, his answer was blunt. “No.” Still, he pushed back against the wider narrative. “Throughout the season there are always ups and downs,” Arbeloa said. “But if there is anyone in the world who wants to think that Real Madrid is dead, they are quite wrong because they don’t know Real Madrid.” From a Liverpool perspective, this is another reminder of how former Reds continue to shape the game at the highest level. Arbeloa is calm. He is loyal. But if Madrid lose to Alavés, this story may move very quickly.
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