Reports say Real Madrid have already tied head coach Alvaro Arbeloa’s future to a clear benchmark. According to Cadena Ser, the Spanish specialist can continue as the “royal club” manager after the 2025/2026 season only in one scenario — if a major trophy is won.
The source notes that Arbeloa will keep his job only if he leads Real to victory either in the Champions League or in the Spanish league. If neither of those goals is achieved, the club’s board may start searching for a new coach in the summer.
In fact, Arbeloa’s start was not easy either. Earlier, Real suffered a surprise exit from the Copa del Rey, losing 2–3 to second-division side Albacete and bowing out early. Crucially, it was Arbeloa’s first official match as Real’s head coach, so the defeat only increased the pressure around the team.
Before that, the Madrid side took another heavy blow: on January 11, Real lost 2–3 to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final and missed out on the trophy. A day later, Xabi Alonso, who had been in charge of the team, left the club. As a result, Alvaro Arbeloa, who previously worked with Real’s youth team, took over.
Now the situation is simple: for Arbeloa, every match is an exam. At Real, time moves fast and patience is usually short. That’s why the Spanish coach needs either a major La Liga triumph or a Champions League final smile. Otherwise, Madrid may switch back into “new savior” search mode.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
