Real Madrid have started a new era on the bench after the departure of Xabi Alonso, announced just a day after the defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. The sporting setback accelerated the end of the cycle of the Basque coach and opened the door to an immediate replacement: Alvaro Arbeloa, until now coach of Real Madrid Castilla, was appointed as the new head coach of the first team.
The club made the decision official through a statement in which it informed that Arbeloa was taking over the position immediately, without detailing the duration of his contract.
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Xabi Alonso’s departure came after the 3-2 defeat against Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, a result that precipitated the end of his time in charge of the white team. The institution said that the decision was made “by mutual agreement”, highlighting Alonso’s figure as a legend of the club and thanking him for his work and dedication.
“Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans,” Real Madrid said in its official statement, in which it also wished him success in his next professional stage.
Arbeloa takes over immediately
Alvaro Arbeloa takes charge of the first team without a transition period. His first official match will be the visit to Albacete in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, a match scheduled for Wednesday.
The coach arrives after managing Real Madrid Castilla since June 2025, during which time the reserve team occupies fourth position in Group 1 of the Primera RFEF, consolidated as one of the most competitive teams in the category.
All of Arbeloa’s 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, a team with which he won the league championship.
He then took charge of the Cadete A team in the 2021-2022 season and later the Juvenil A team, a position he held between 2022 and 2025. In this last stage, he signed one of the most successful periods of the youth team, winning the treble in the 2022-2023 season: League, Copa del Rey and Copa de Campeones.
In the 2024-2025 season, Arbeloa won the league again with the Juvenil A, a feat that further strengthened his position within the sporting structure before taking charge of Castilla and then the first team.
Arbeloa’s time as a Real Madrid player
Before starting his career as a coach, Alvaro Arbeloa was a Real Madrid player between 2009 and 2016, during which time he played 238 official matches and was part of one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history.
During those years, he won eight titles with the Spanish giants, including two European Cups, as well as a LaLiga Santander title, two Copa del Rey trophies and a Club World Cup, among other trophies.
At international level, he was capped 56 times by Spain and was part of the team that won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
Arbeloa’s method: high pressing and 4-3-3
As a coach, Arbeloa arrives at the first team with a defined style of play. His base system is the 4-3-3, with high pressing, a team pushed up into the opponent’s half and constant intensity. These are principles he has applied both with the Juvenil A and Castilla teams, with occasional adjustments to 4-4-2 depending on how matches develop.
In his approach, the coach has emphasized the importance of the defensive midfielder, the so-called ‘6’, as a key player for tactical balance and clean ball control.
