Real Madrid squad hold unity dinner without Álvaro Arbeloa | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s first team held a unity dinner at restaurant '61' on José Abascal, where Vinícius Júnior and Kyian Mbappé are partners. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, the entire squad attended, but Álvaro Arbeloa and his staff did not.

It was not a first. Before Monaco, a 6-1 win, they held a similar gathering, and on Tuesday even injured Militao, Rodrygo and Bellingham were present.

Vinícius and Mbappé hosted and the Brazilian revealed it with a photo of 24 players on social media. The Grupo Mosh venue has become a hotspot since September, drawing Ilia Topuria, Ozuna and Ester Expósito, as well as co-owners Mbappé and Vinícius.

Players are said to have left in stages, the first departures just after 23:00 and the last, academy player Raúl Asencio, after 2:00, despite training set for 11:00 in Valdebebas on Wednesday.

The dinner came at a delicate point, with Madrid one point off Barcelona in La Liga and facing a Champions League round of 32 with Mourinho’s Benfica at Da Luz next week after a heavy loss in Lisbon. Fans have whistled since Xabi Alonso’s sacking, after which Arbeloa took charge.

Players have privately questioned decisions by the coach from Salamanca, meeting after the win over Rayo Vallecano that needed a stoppage-time penalty. Within the squad, Arbeloa is seen as an interim appointed by Florentino Pérez while he keeps trying to convince Jurgen Klopp to take the job next season.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo