The Result Carries Weight
MADRID — Álvaro Arbeloa confirmed what many in Spain had taken for granted for weeks: he won't be Real Madrid's coach beyond Saturday's final game of the season. When asked Friday whether the La Liga match against Athletic Bilbao would be his last, he simply said, "Yes."
Arbeloa was widely expected to be on his way out after being unable to steer the team to a trophy following his promotion from the club's reserve team in January to replace the fired Xabi Alonso. Madrid lost to a second-division opponent in the Copa del Rey in Arbeloa's debut, exited the Champions League quarterfinals to Bayern Munich, and will finish second in La Liga to Barcelona.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The Moment That Swung It
The assumption around the club was that unless the team did spectacularly well under Arbeloa, he would be an interim coach until the club could find a better option in the offseason. And so it has played out, with Spanish media reporting that Madrid is seriously considering bringing back José Mourinho for a second stint — 13 years after he last coached the club. Mourinho has been at Benfica this campaign but recently said he will decide his future soon.
That kind of return is rarely a victory lap; it's usually a sign that something else fell through.
The Race Tightens
Arbeloa, 43, said he will seek new challenges after his first major coaching job. "I have already made the leap, improved greatly over these four months, and I feel prepared for new challenges," he said. "Starting Monday, I will think about them."
Saturday will also be the last game for veteran defenders Dani Carvajal and David Alaba, whose contracts are about to expire. Right back Carvajal, 34, has helped Madrid win six Champions Leagues since 2013, while the 33-year-old Alaba contributed in two of those European Cup conquests since arriving in 2021.