Alvaro Arbeloa will not be continuing as Real Madrid manager next season, the Spaniard announced on Friday. He joined the 15-time European champions in January, replacing his compatriot Xabi Alonso after a difficult first half of the season for Real.
Arbeloa, who also played for the Spanish giants, has now confirmed he will not be continuing in his role next season. He is set to take charge of his final game on Saturday when Real host Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga.
Arbeloa has taken charge of 27 matches in total, winning 17 alongside eight defeats and two draws. It has been a disappointing campaign for Real, who are set to finish trophyless for the second consecutive season.
Disappointing Campaign
They are 11 points adrift of champions Barcelona with one match remaining in La Liga, while they were knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage for the second season in a row. Last year, they were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Arsenal, while this time around they fell short against Bayern Munich, suffering a 6-4 aggregate loss. Real also failed to progress beyond the round of 16 in the Copa del Rey after losing 3-2 to Albacete in Arbeloa’s first match after replacing Alonso.
Mourinho Emerges as Favourite
Attention will now turn to who will replace Arbeloa, with Jose Mourinho emerging as the overwhelming favourite to return to the Spanish capital. Mourinho previously managed Real from 2010 to 2013, leading them to the Spanish title in 2012. He has since had a second spell at Chelsea, while also managing a number of other high-profile clubs including Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica.
Mourinho led Benfica to an unbeaten league campaign this season, but the Portuguese side could only finish third behind Porto and Sporting Lisbon. He is now expected to return to Real ahead of next season, and the path has been cleared following the announcement that Arbeloa is leaving. It was reported earlier this week that Mourinho has agreed terms with Real, leading to speculation that his return to the club could be confirmed in the coming days or weeks as Real look to return to the summit of Spanish football.
