Three Things We Learned From Alvaro Arbeloa’s First Game in Charge of Real Madrid

Los Blancos’ systemic problems did not disappear with the departure of Xabi Alonso.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s reign began in defeat. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Álvaro Arbeloa saw what should have been an easy first game on Real Madrid’s touchline turn into a complete nightmare on Wednesday evening.

The Spaniard, who took over Los Blancos in the wake of Xabi Alonso’s shock departure, made his debut against Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16. The Santander-based club came into the fixture just one point above the relegation zone in La Liga 2 and had never before defeated Real Madrid.

Yet when the final whistle sounded at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, Albacete were the ones celebrating a stunning 3–2 victory thanks a last-gasp winner from Jefté Betancor. The 15-time European champions, meanwhile, could only look on in utter embarrassment.

Arbeloa later took blame for the loss, but the new manager does not have time to dwell on his mistakes, nor his team’s. Instead, the 42-year-old must analyze what went wrong and take his newfound lessons into this weekend’s La Liga bout with Levante.

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A Change in Leadership Isn’t the Quick Fix Real Madrid Hoped For

A lot of managers don’t get time at Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso was one of them. pic.twitter.com/IqsdFc0qi5

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) January 13, 2026

So much of Los Blancos’ woes over the last few months were placed on Alonso’s shoulders. The Spaniard was blamed for every static attacking performance, every defensive breakdown and every underwhelming result.

And yes, Alonso deserved some of the criticism coming his way, mainly for his bizarre tactical decisions. After all, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss started Vinicius Junior on the right wing in the club’s 4–0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, threw a recently recovered Jude Bellingham into the first Madrid derby of the season and started Fran García in left midfield against Elche.

Yet the ex-manager was not on the pitch with his star-studded squad. Alonso was not the one imploding in a 2–0 defeat to Celta Vigo or producing an utterly lifeless effort against Liverpool. Switching him out with Arbeloa is not a magical fix to Real Madrid’s very obvious systemic problems.

Arbeloa needs time to bring an identity back to the once great Spanish giants and break poor habits stemming back to the 2024–25 season. Yet time is rarely allotted to new managers at the Bernabéu.

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Changes Must Come to Real Madrid’s Midfield

Fede Valverde is a shell of his former self in the midfield. | Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

It is no secret Real Madrid are in desperate need of a deep-lying playmaker, but the club made their transfer intentions clear: any transactions must wait until the summer window. The team must make do until then, and it will continue to struggle without some much-needed changes.

For all his complaints about playing at right back, Federico Valverde has been dreadful in his last two returns to the middle of the park. The Uruguayan completed just nine passes in 68 minutes against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, and only one was a progressive pass.

Then, against such an inferior opponent in Albacete, Valverde didn’t do much of anything besides take a few half-hearted shots from distance. In a game crying out for a leader in the midfield, the captain won zero duels, created just one chance and spent most of his night passing the ball with zero intention.

Arda Güler, who also did not have a great game apart from his set piece deliveries, still played better than his veteran teammate. If there comes time for a decision to be made between the Turkish youngster and Valverde, Güler is leading the race.

Both could be headed to the bench, though, if Arbeloa favors a 4-2-3-1 with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga in a double pivot.

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Real Madrid Do Not Have the Depth to Win Multiple Trophies

17th-placed second-tier side Albacete Balompié knock Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey in Álvaro Arbeloa’s first game. pic.twitter.com/QPYKyCsHLc

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) January 14, 2026

If Wednesday’s Copa del Rey exit showed anything, it is that Los Blancos lack game-changers off the bench. Even without the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid should still have enough talent to get past a La Liga 2 side.

Yet Real Madrid Castilla products David Jiménez and Jorge Cestero, who both got the nod against Albacete, underwhelmed in their big opportunities. The former was bested by opposing fullback Dani Bernabéu all night long, and the latter had not much to show for his outing apart from a few strong tackles.

Andriy Lunin, meanwhile, had an absolute nightmare at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte. The goalkeeper failed to keep Betancor’s first goal out despite getting two hands on the ball and then stood frozen at his near post while the substitute bagged his brace and the match-winner in the 94th minute.

Gonzalo García and Franco Mastantuono might have gotten Real Madrid on the scoresheet, but even the two forwards were uninspired up top and committed several blunders—both with and without the ball—that cannot be overlooked.

The collective of fringe players and Castilla standouts showed they are not at the level needed to secure results in the absence of the team’s strongest XI. Without such depth, the 15-time European champions were never going to be able to make deep runs and balance the flurry of matches in the Copa del Rey, the Champions League and La Liga.

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