RAfter Xabi Alonso’s departure, announced the day after losing to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, Real Madrid started a new era on the bench. This sporting setback hastened the end of the Basque coach’s tenure and opened the door for an immediate replacement. Alvaro Arbeloa, previously the manager of Real Madrid Castilla, has been appointed as the first team’s new head coach.
The club did not go into details about the length of the contract, but officially announced the decision through a statement informing Arbeloa that he would take over the position with immediate effect.
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Relay after fall in Super Cup
Xabi Alonso’s departure comes after his 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, a result that marked the end of his tenure as White team manager. The association said the decision had been taken “by mutual agreement”, highlighting Alonso’s status as a club legend and thanking him for his work and dedication.
“Xabi Alonso will always be the object of the love and admiration of all Madrid fans,” Real Madrid said in an official statement, wishing the player every success in his next professional career.
Arbeloa will take over immediately.
Alvaro Arbeloa will take charge of the first team without a transition period. His first competitive game will be against Albacete in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, scheduled for Wednesday.
The coach takes over after taking charge of Real Madrid Castilla from June 2025, during which time the reserve team finished fourth in Group 1 of the Primera RFEF and established themselves as one of the most competitive teams in this category.
Arbeloa’s entire coaching career has been spent within the club’s youth structure. His coaching career began in the 2020-2021 season, when he took charge of Infantil A and won the league title.
He then took over the Cadete A team in the 2021-2022 season, and then the Juvenil A team, a position he held from 2022 to 2025. In this last stage, he signed one of the most successful periods of the youth team, achieving the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Copa de Campones in the 2022-2023 season.
In the 2024-2025 season, Arbeloa once again won the league with Juvenil A, a feat that further strengthened his position within the sports organization before taking charge of Castilla and then the first team.
Arbeloa’s time as a Real Madrid player
Before starting his coaching career, Alvaro Arbeloa was a Real Madrid player from 2009 to 2016, during which time he made 238 appearances in all competitions and was instrumental in one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history.
During that time, he won eight titles with the Spanish giants, including two European Cups, as well as trophies such as the La Liga Santander title, two Copa del Rey trophies, and the Club World Cup.
At international level, he was capped 56 times for Spain and was part of the team that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
Arbeloa’s method: high press and 4-3-3
As a coach, Arbeloa comes to the first team with a clear playing style. His basic system is 4-3-3, where he uses a high press to push up to the opponent’s half and maintain a certain level of intensity. These are the principles he applied to both the Juvenil A and Castilla teams, occasionally adjusting to a 4-4-2 depending on how the match was unfolding.
In his approach, the manager emphasized the importance of the defensive midfielders, the so-called “six”, as key players for tactical balance and clean ball control.
