Alvaro Arbeloa leaves Real Madrid: Will not work with Jose Mourinho
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa is leaving the club at the end of the season. The outgoing manager has also confirmed that he has no interest in working with Mourinho if he returns to coach the club this year.
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa confirmed on Friday that he will leave the club at the end of the season, bringing an underwhelming and chaotic spell in charge to an end. Arbeloa made the announcement ahead of Madrid’s final LaLiga game of the campaign, set to be played on Sunday, May 24.
Arbeloa took charge of Real Madrid on an interim basis after the club sacked Xabi Alonso in January. However, the Spaniard failed to guide Madrid to a single trophy this season, with results and dressing room issues quickly derailing the campaign.
The situation inside the squad reportedly deteriorated during the second half of the season. Midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde were involved in a major training ground altercation earlier this month, with the Uruguayan later requiring medical attention after the clash.
Amid growing speculation linking Jose Mourinho with a sensational return to the Santiago Bernabeu, Arbeloa clarified that Sunday’s game would be his final match in charge and ruled out the possibility of staying on as part of Mourinho’s coaching 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,” Arbeloa said.
“There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future from Monday I’ll think about that.”
Arbeloa, who represented Real Madrid between 2009 and 2016 before later returning to coach at youth level, admitted that he still hoped to return to the club one day.
“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,” Arbeloa said.
“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.”