… as Mourinho closes in on return
Real Madrid head coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, has confirmed that he will leave the club at the end of the season, with Jose Mourinho set to be named as his replacement.
The 43-year-old was promoted from his role leading Real Madrid B in January, replacing former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso, and will now depart the club after a trophyless season.
Mourinho, who has been in charge of Benfica this season, is in final negotiations to take charge at Real, having previously been their manager from 2010 to 2013.
Speaking in a news conference prior to Real’s final match of the season, at home to Athletic Club on Saturday, Arbeloa said he would be departing rather than joining Mourinho’s staff.
“Mou has a fantastic technical team, he’s got good people around him. If he comes to Madrid he will come with his team,” said Arbeloa.
“There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future… from Monday I’ll think about that.”
Real will finish the season as La Liga runners-up, without a major trophy for the second year in a row, having exited this season’s Champions League against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
Arbeloa, who played for Real between 2009 and 2016, said he hoped this weekend’s match will not prove to be a final farewell to the club.
“I hope it’s a see you later… I’ve always considered this my home, I’ve belonged to Madrid for 20 years in various roles,” said Arbeloa.
“It will be my last game this season as coach of Real Madrid. I don’t know if it will be the last game of my life as coach of Real Madrid.
“We never know. I’ll try and enjoy it and try to get the win.”
The club also announced defender David Alaba, 33, will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires.
The Austrian has won 11 trophies in five seasons since joining on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, despite suffering a string of injuries including a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament that kept him out of action for more than a year.
Arbeloa’s announcement will come as no surprise to Real Madrid fans. With Jose Mourinho emerging as the frontrunner to succeed the Spaniard, Saturday’s home game against Athletic Club is set to be Arbeloa’s final match in charge after just five months in the role.
Real supporters are likely to reflect on Arbeloa’s tenure with disappointment. Results fell short of the club’s relentless standards, with two consecutive trophyless seasons and rivals Barcelona winning La Liga with a 14-point margin.
Arbeloa’s deep ties to Madrid and his passion for the badge were never questioned, and some would say stepping into the position midway through the season was an impossible task. However, the inconsistency in results, the lack of silverware, dressing-room tensions and the pressure of competing at a club where success is demanded immediately meant his time on the bench was always likely to be brief.
The next question now is when Arbeloa’s successor will be officially announced, and that process could take longer than expected. Last week, club president Florentino Perez confirmed that presidential elections would be held and he would be standing for re-election.
However, the situation has become more complicated after Spanish media reported businessman Enrique Riquelme has officially taken the first steps toward challenging Perez for the presidency. Should his candidacy be validated, Real Madrid would face its first contested presidential election in nearly two decades.
Riquelme must meet certain requirements needed to challenge Perez and will need to formalise his candidacy by Saturday, the day of their final game of the season. A confirmed election process would likely put Perez’s plans to bring Mourinho back on hold until a vote date is decided.
