2026 has just begun, but Real Madrid has already received several painful blows. Unexpected defeats against Albacete and Benfica further increased the pressure surrounding Real Madrid. In such a situation, team head coach Alvaro Arbeloa is forced to make major decisions - and these decisions could be very difficult news for some players.
Under Xabi Alonso, the new defender, Álvaro Carreras, was considered practically untouchable. It's no coincidence: Benfica paid €50 million for him, and when he was healthy, he was among the key players who played the full 90 minutes. That is, Carreras was considered one of the most reliable choices in the team.
However, according to AS, after the defeat against Benfica, Carreras lost his "guaranteed" status. It is said that during the weekend match against Rayo Vallecano, Arbeloa left him on the bench, placing his faith in Eduardo Camavinga in the left wing defense. This decision is not just a rotation - it's like an open signal from a coach saying "no immunity to anyone."
Now the situation for Carreras has changed significantly. He needs to prove his worth at every moment he enters the field and demonstrate his readiness to compete in every episode. Because at a club like Real Madrid, you don't become the "main player" just once - here you defend your position repeatedly every week, every game.
Furthermore, Arbeloa faces another problem: he will have to "track" the team even without Jude Bellingham, who is out for about a month. That is, the coach simultaneously raises the demand for results, the fierce competition in the squad, and the responsibility of building a game without a leading player.
In short, the winter at Real Madrid has been getting hotter since early morning. Arbeloa is trying to make the team tremble and restore order with a "hard hand." Carreras is now forced to speak on the pitch to regain the 90-minute confidence, not the €50 million price.
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