Real Madrid dropped a bombshell Monday, replacing manager Xabi Alonso with B-team coach Alvaro Arbeloa after a rocky eight-month tenure. The move comes just 24 hours after Madrid's dramatic 3-2 Super Cup final loss to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia – a match that saw tensions boil over during the awards ceremony.
🏆 Teammates Turned Successors
The 43-year-old Arbeloa, who won the 2010 World Cup alongside Alonso with Spain, takes charge immediately. Club officials called the change a 'mutual decision,' but insiders point to locker room friction and inconsistent performances as key factors.
💥 Player Power Play?
Kylian Mbappé led the public farewells on Instagram, thanking Alonso for 'clear ideas' and 'confidence since Day 1.' Notably absent from the social media tributes? Vinícius Júnior – the Brazilian star reportedly clashed multiple times with Alonso over substitutions.
With Madrid currently four points behind Barcelona in La Liga and facing Albacete in Wednesday's Copa del Rey clash, all eyes are on whether Arbeloa can steady the ship. His first test? Winning back a star-studded dressing room that includes both loyalists and critics of the previous regime.
