Real Madrid’s crushing defeat at El Saldar has set off alarm bells in the Spanish capital, with the club now again risking losing top spot to Barcelona.
Alvaro Arbeloa was initially brought in to save the team’s turbulent season, but he is now under scrutiny amid serious doubts arising from both the dressing room and Florentino Perez’s board, according to Diario Sport .
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A string of incredible performances
Arbeloa’s tenure was plagued by instability from the start. The team was humiliatingly eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Albacete as a high-risk rotation policy backfired.
The lack of a clear, dominant playing identity has resulted in audible whistles from the demanding Bernabeu fans.
Arbeloa is under tremendous pressure. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
The recent 2-1 loss to Osasuna has intensified this scrutiny, breaking his unbeaten league record and exposing the team’s underlying weaknesses.
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Tactical issues and player appeasement
While Arbeloa deserves credit for breathing life into Vinicius Junior, the overall dynamic of the team remains deeply flawed.
Real Madrid’s recent victories have relied almost entirely on the individual talents of Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe and Courtois rather than a cohesive tactical system.
Additionally, players reportedly began to question Arbeloa’s management. His in-game substitutions were seen as puzzling and decisions made seemingly to appease specific egos.
Crucially, Arbeloa apologized to Florentino Pérez after the loss to Osasuna but has yet to successfully stage a comeback in any game in which his side conceded a first goal.
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Tensions are expected to reach a boiling point ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League second leg against Benfica.
Although Madrid holds a slim 1-0 lead, fears of an unexpected European elimination remain.