Benfica snub lingers, Arbeloa’s Real Madrid role debated | OneFootball

As a consequence of the current situation of Real Madrid, which is in second place in La Liga and failed to secure direct qualification for the Champions League after being humiliatingly defeated by Benfica – which received global recognition – the Madrid club was recently the subject of debate on Spanish radio. The name of Álvaro Arbeloa, the current coach of the ‘merengues’, took center stage in the conversation.

Raul Varela, a journalist present at the debate, revealed that Xabi Alonso’s successor on the bench works harder than some of his players. “Arbeloa goes to Valdebebas not only to work, but also to train, use the treadmill and the bike. This shows that he has a stronger and better work ethic than some of his players,” he explained on the ‘Tribu’ program on Marca radio.

In this regard, Varela made public the message he received from the Real Madrid locker room immediately after the defeat against Benfica (4-2) in the UEFA Champions League: “What needs to be done is to restructure a house with poorly built foundations and in which people live.”

The statement confirms what Xabi Alonso had said upon leaving the managerial position, when he warned the board that the players have too much power at the club. “Perhaps because Álvaro Arbeloa is only an interim, the Spanish coach does not enjoy the respect of Real Madrid’s stars,” the Marca daily also states.

One of their field reporters recently reported from the Valdebebas training base: “The situation is difficult. The youngest players in the squad are the only ones who respect the coach and say that the pace is not good in training and that preparation is being harmed.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.