Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has been doing his best to keep a locker room of spoiled, overgrown children placated after they mutinied against Xabi Alonso months ago, but even he is starting to cut an increasingly frustrated figure at press conferences as he learns how impossible it is to manage this bunch.
It seemed like Arbeloa had the full support of the Real Madrid locker room, with reports in the Spanish press indicating that the players were backing the former Merengue right back to stay despite Florentino Perez wanting to pursue a bigger name to manage Madrid like Jose Mourinho.
Well, it might just be that Arbeloa's locker room support is not as robust as he and everyone else were led to believe. As Real Madrid unravel worse than they did under Alonso, Arbeloa is looking weaker and weaker at the helm.
Alvaro Arbeloa looks done in charge
According to a new report from French outlet L'Equipe, via the Madrid Zone, the support for Arbeloa is at such a low point that there are only four players who truly support the Spanish coach. Those players are left back Fran Garcia, center midfielder Jude Bellingham, left winger Vinicius Junior, and the other No. 8 Fede Valverde.
It is not surprising to see that these are the four players behind Alvaro Arbeloa. Fran must love him because Arbeloa is the only manager who is giving him a chance at starting. Meanwhile, the other three being ardent supporters of Arbeloa is the least surprising thing ever. Valverde, Vinicius, and Bellingham all pretty openly hated Alonso, who didn't exactly treat those three the best either. But it was alarming how these three pillars of Madrid defied Alonso.
Now, it is a great thing for Arbeloa that these three love him. But Valverde's endorement means very little these days, since he has disgraced himself with his multiple locker room battles with Aurelien Tchouameni. And while time has vindicated Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. somewhat after their fallout with Xabi Alonso, it is telling that the other squad players do not seem to be backing Arbeloa.
The opinions of Kylian Mbappe, Alvaro Carreras, Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal, and the other miscreants who openly despise Arbeloa matter very little, but it is curious that other figures in the locker room have been ommitted. Though it is not for the likes of David Alaba and Arda Guler to pick sides.
Still, the idea that Arbeloa is universally loved by the Real Madrid locker room has never been true,and as the Merengues stand a club divided, Florentino Perez has no reason to change his mind about giving Arbeloa the axe.
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