How great is Alvaro Arbeloa? From Bernabeu to Castilla, move up a class to replace Xabi Alonso

Gilabola.com – Real Madrid officially announced separation with Xabi Alonso on Monday local time, just a day after the painful defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. The Spanish capital club immediately pointed the finger Alvaro Arbeloa as the new coach of the first team.

This decision was taken based on mutual agreement between the club and Alonso. The Basque coach left Santiago Bernabeu after managing Los Blancos less than eight months after being appointed last June.

Defeat to Barcelona was the trigger

In its official statement, Real Madrid said that Xabi Alonso’s tenure as first team coach had ended by mutual agreement. Not long ago, Madrid announced Alvaro Arbeloa as a replacement, although without mentioning the duration of the 42-year-old coach’s contract.

Alonso played his last match when Madrid lost 2-3 to Hansi Flick’s Barcelona in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. This defeat meant that Madrid had to settle for being runners-up in the Spanish Super Cup and was the final point of Alonso’s journey with the club.

In terms of standings, Real Madrid is currently in second place in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona. However, fluctuating performance made management feel the need to take firm steps.

Arbeloa moves up to class from Castilla

Alvaro Arbeloa is no stranger to Valdebebas. Since June 2025, he has managed Real Madrid Castilla and previously built his coaching career at the club’s academy since 2020.

Arbeloa’s first match as first team coach will take place on Wednesday WIB, when Real Madrid visits the headquarters of Albacete, a Spanish second caste team, in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.

As a player, Arbeloa made 238 appearances with Real Madrid between 2009 and 2016. He won two Champions League titles and one La Liga title, among various other trophies.

At international level, Arbeloa is also part of Spain’s golden generation who won the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Cups. He has played with Xabi Alonso both in the club and national team.

Alvaro Arbeloa profile

• Age: 42 Years (17/01/1983)
• Place of Birth: Salamanca
• Nationality: Spain
• Coaching Period: 1.6 Years
• Favorite Formation: 4-3-3 Attacking

Alvaro Arbeloa Coaching Statistics

Primera Federacion Competition – Group 1

• Matches: 19x
• Wins: 10
• Series: 1
• Losses: 8
• Points: 31

U21 Premier League International Cup

• Matches: 4x
• Wins: 2
• Series: 2
• Lost: –
• Points: 8

Xabi Alonso’s Short Journey

Xabi Alonso came to Real Madrid last June to replace Carlo Ancelotti. He signed a three-season contract after successfully leading Bayer Leverkusen to win the 2024 Bundesliga.

However, his tenure at the Bernabeu did not go smoothly. Madrid was hit by a crushing 0-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals in July, then was slaughtered by Atletico Madrid 2-5 in September.

Although victory over Barcelona in El Clásico in October gave some hope, consistency remains a problem. President Florentino Perez is said to be not completely convinced by the modern approach that Alonso wants to implement.

Alonso is known to have been appointed because of his tactical intelligence, in contrast to Ancelotti who is known to excel in player management. At the start of his tenure, Alonso even said that the “rock’n’roll” era would soon begin, but this attractive playing style never really materialized.

Stress, Injuries, and Relationship Breakdowns

Madrid had fallen into a difficult period due to an injury crisis. A home defeat to Celta Vigo, an away defeat against Liverpool in Europe, as well as a number of domestic draws added to the pressure.

Some of Alonso’s tactical ideas, including high pressing, are slowly disappearing. Spanish media also reported tensions with a number of star players.

Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes experienced a decline in performance, even going several months without scoring a goal. Even though Kylian Mbappe appeared sharp and was La Liga’s top scorer, this was not enough to cover the team’s overall problems.

Alonso was on the verge of being fired at the end of 2025, but five consecutive wins saved his position temporarily. Defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League in December almost ended everything, but Madrid’s performance was deemed to have improved enough for Alonso to be given extra time.

The defeat to Barcelona in Jeddah finally became the final straw. Madrid and Alonso agreed to end cooperation.

On social media, Kylian Mbappe delivered a farewell message. He said Alonso’s tenure was short, but full of learning, and praised the coach’s clarity of ideas and football knowledge.

Expectations at the Bernabeu always demand instant results, and Alonso arrives at a transition phase that is not easy. The appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa is a safe choice, full of club internal nuances, as well as a bold bet. Now, the spotlight will be on whether the figure raised by Madrid is able to reduce the pressure and bring the stability that Los Blancos have been looking for.