Real Madrid’s recent exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich is set to trigger another wave of upheaval at the Spanish giants, beginning with the fate of Alvaro Arbeloa as head coach. The 43‑year‑old was only promoted to the senior role in January after replacing Xabi Alonso, but the reality of managing the Bernabéu is unforgiving: a loss to Bayern following a chaotic second‑leg at the Allianz Arena almost certainly means Arbeloa will be shown the door, even if he remains in charge until the season’s conclusion. The Wednesday night result – a 4‑3 defeat on the night and a 6‑4 aggregate loss – leaves Madrid virtually certain to finish the campaign without a major trophy. Their recent misfortunes extend beyond Europe: Arbeloa’s first match in charge saw them knocked out of the Copa del Rey by second‑division side Albacete, and Barcelona, the defending champions, sit nine points clear in La Liga with seven games remaining, including a decisive Clasico at Camp Nou on May 10 that could hand the Catalans the title.
Madrid also ended the 2024‑25 season trophy‑free, a situation they have not experienced in 16 years. Under long‑time president Florentino Pérez, only one manager who finished a season without silverware – Zinedine Zidane – was retained for the following campaign. If Arbeloa is the next to depart, it will not come as a surprise.
When asked on Wednesday whether he wanted to stay or go, Arbeloa replied, "Right now, I'm not thinking about any of that at all. I'll say it again: it's the club's decision and I'm a loyal supporter. All I want is for Real Madrid to win, regardless of who's in charge." His measured response reflects the harsh reality that the Bernabéu rarely tolerates failure.
The Bayern knockout, a quarter‑final that featured seven goals and two red cards, highlighted the volatility of Madrid’s current situation. Arbeloa himself condemned a particularly shocking dismissal that he felt ruined Bayern’s chances, underscoring the tension surrounding the match. Beyond the coach’s job, the club appears poised for broader restructuring after a turbulent few months that would be chaotic even by Real’s exacting standards.
Who could replace Arbeloa? What fuels this wider unrest? And what lies ahead?
The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana delves into the issues, drawing on multiple anonymous sources within the organization. Real Madrid is often described as the most ruthless and demanding institution in football. Numerous managers have learned that lesson the hard way. Vicente del Bosque was sacked the day after clinching the 2002‑03 league title, and Carlo Ancelotti’s first spell ended in May 2015, just twelve months after delivering La Décima – the long‑awaited 10th European Cup.
Ancelotti left a second time at the end of last season, after becoming the most decorated coach in the club’s history with his 15th trophy, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in December 2024. When Arbeloa took over in January, he recalled an anecdote from the 2014 Champions League triumph under Ancelotti, when, after an extra‑time victory over Atlético Madrid, he and Dani Carvajal joked on the team bus, "Let’s go for another one, shall we?" The story was meant to lift spirits after Alonso’s dismissal and to remind everyone of the club’s relentless pursuit of success.
Madrid’s record in Europe is unparalleled – 15 Champions League titles – with AC Milan a distant second at seven. This hunger for more silverware draws world‑class talent such as Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, but it also means that any failure is met with swift accountability, typically landing on the manager’s shoulders. The consensus inside the club is that Arbeloa will be dismissed, but likely after he sees out the season.
Bringing in a new coach now, with little at stake, would be illogical, and Arbeloa’s rapport with the dressing room is seen as sufficient to maintain professionalism until May. Arbeloa’s tenure as head coach has always been precarious, despite his strong background in the academy and the respect he enjoys from Pérez. When he was announced as the reserve‑team manager’s successor in January, the club did not disclose the length of his contract, fueling speculation about his future. Rumours of potential successors for the next season have persisted, yet neither side has confirmed any details.
Because of his long association with the club – having served as an ambassador at events before becoming a youth coach in 2020 – Arbeloa could remain at Madrid in a different capacity if he wishes. However, his ambition lies in management, and he has repeatedly asserted that he is not worried about his future, emphasizing that he has done everything possible to help his players win each day. Speculation about Arbeloa’s replacement has been rife.
Jurgen Klopp’s name has surfaced repeatedly, despite the former Liverpool boss publicly stating that he is content as Red Bull’s global head of soccer, a role he assumed in January 2025. Both Klopp and his agent have denied any contact with Madrid. Zinedine Zidane remains a favorite of Pérez, having guided Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles from 2016‑2018. Yet sources suggest Zidane may be considering a move to replace Didier Deschamps as France manager after the upcoming World Cup.
Deschamps himself has also been floated as a possible Madrid candidate; his contract with France expires in July. Mauricio Pochettino, currently the United States coach, was spotted in Madrid last month watching Tottenham play at Atlético in the Champions League. He is highly regarded by Pérez and could be a serious contender, though his U.S.
contract ends after the World Cup and he has said no talks have taken place with the Spanish club. In the coming weeks, clarity should emerge, but the potential shake‑up extends beyond the head‑coach position. Several key voices within Real Madrid believe that substantial changes have been overdue. Two disappointing seasons have exposed multiple shortcomings: the quantity and quality of signings, the impact of new arrivals, squad harmony, and a spate of injuries.
Both former managers, Ancelotti and Alonso, argued that while the squad possessed talent, it lacked balance and required further reinforcement. Insiders close to the coaching staff have highlighted the difficulty of maintaining cohesion among high‑profile players like Mbappé, Vinícius and Bellingham. After Alonso’s dismissal, sources close to Ancelotti’s former team said there was "no solution right now" and that a major rebuild was necessary, including the sale of a star player to free up funds for right‑back, centre‑back, right‑wing and especially central‑midfield acquisitions.
Former coach Alonso’s supporters claim the current squad is "impossible to coach", arguing that the players wield too much power and lack the willingness to improve. Many observers believe Madrid needs a dedicated director of football to overhaul the recruitment process, which is presently overseen by General Director José Ángel Sánchez, chief scout Júnior Calafat and Pérez himself. Santiago Solari, a former player and manager, holds the title of director of football but his influence has waned since his appointment in 2022.
Some sources say the club is contemplating bringing in a new specialist to its sporting structure, though other insiders deny any such plan. There are also rumours of an internal power struggle between Sánchez and Anas Laghrari, a French‑Moroccan adviser close to Pérez, but further sources assert that Laghrari has no intention of usurping Sánchez’s role.
Overall, the sentiment within the industry is that changes at every level of the organization cannot be ruled out. A training‑ground source recently mentioned "confusion among the staff" due to rumours of extensive alterations that could affect the board, the coach, the medical team, physiotherapists and players.
Since 2023, Madrid has been plagued by a medical crisis, with a high injury count that proved decisive in Ancelotti’s final season. Disagreements between the coaching staff and long‑time fitness coach Antonio Pintus, a figure Pérez trusts implicitly, were common.
When Alonso arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in May, he brought his own fitness coach, Ismael Camenforte, and Pintus was sidelined. Injuries persisted under Alonso, prompting Pintus’s return after Alonso’s sacking. Shortly before his dismissal, Croatian doctor Niko Mihic, who had been out of favor in November 2023 over injury concerns, was reinstated as head of medical services. In March, The Athletic reported that Madrid’s medical team misdiagnosed Mbappé’s knee injury after performing an MRI on the wrong leg in December, delaying the Frenchman’s recovery.
Finally, proposals for a new ownership structure that would allow external investment have stalled since Pérez first mentioned them in November. The club appears to be at a crossroads, with potential changes looming across coaching, recruitment, medical, and even governance.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic. © 2026 The Athletic Media Company