Nearly a month after Álvaro Arbeloa took over as first-team manager, the atmosphere inside Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground is complex, sources close to the club indicate.
While the former Castilla coach has successfully built a closer, more friendly relationship with the squad, this shift has come with unexpected consequences.
According to reports, several players have begun to feel the dynamic resembles that of being coached by the reserve team, rather than by the transformative or revolutionary figure many had hoped would arrive to change the team’s course.
The general sentiment within the dressing room, as conveyed to La SER, is that the players do not view Arbeloa as a “savior” capable of making a major immediate impact.
Critics point to a perceived lack of tactical innovation in training sessions, leaving some senior figures unconvinced about the project’s direction.
This underlying friction has, on occasion, broken into open disagreement. Some players have openly questioned specific decisions, such as the omission of midfielder Dani Ceballos from the match against Benfica.
Furthermore, the situation appears to have reached a more intense point following the recent match against Rayo Vallecano. Sources report a heated tactical debate erupted in the locker room after the final whistle. The discussion was reportedly prolonged that it caused a delay to Manager Arbeloa’s post-match press conference.