After Champions League blow, Spain tips Arbeloa's Real Madrid successor | OneFootball

The blow suffered in Lisbon once again shook Real Madrid. The 4-2 defeat against Benfica in the last round of the regular phase of the Champions League left the Merengue out of the top eight and forced to play the playoffs, a result that set off alarms at the White House and reopened the debate about Álvaro Arbeloa's continuity as head coach.

Xabi Alonso's departure had left a scenario full of uncertainty, and Arbeloa took over as a transitional solution. However, after five matches in charge of the first team, the balance is not entirely convincing: three victories, two defeats, elimination from the Copa del Rey, and a Champions League finish well below expectations.

At the white club, the bar is always high, and the latest results began to erode support for the former full-back. Although he seemed to have room to maintain the position, the slap in the face against Benfica once again cast doubt on his future.

In this context, rumors began to circulate from Spain about possible alternatives for the Merengue bench. According to a local communicator, one of the names on the list is Unai Emery, the current coach of Aston Villa.

The Spanish coach is experiencing a great moment in the Premier League, where he manages the team of Emiliano Martínez and Emiliano Buendía. He has a contract with the English club until June 2028, and his departure would not be easy, as it would involve a costly negotiation. However, Emery has already been in a similar situation in the past when he left Villarreal in the middle of the competition to make the leap to the Premier League.

In the current season, the coach has managed 32 matches with Aston Villa, with 21 victories, four draws, and only seven defeats, numbers that reflect a high effectiveness in one of the most demanding leagues in the world.

For now, Arbeloa will continue at the helm of Real Madrid. The next commitment for the Merengue will be this Sunday, February 1st, when they host Rayo Vallecano for the 22nd round of LaLiga. In the local tournament, the team is in second place with 51 points, just one behind Barcelona, the championship leader.

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