Real Madrid are a world away from their 1-0 defeat to Getafe at the Bernabeu three weeks ago. Since that adverse result in La Liga, Los Blancos have gone on a five-game winning streak which has completely turned around the atmosphere at Valdebebas.
Within those five games, Real Madrid have knocked off Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Champions League, and ended a five-year run without a victory at home to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in La Liga. Marca say that Arbeloa, who just weeks ago was being questioned internally, has managed to change the perception of himself within the squad.
Arbeloa has backing of the Real Madrid squad
Their information is that if President Florentino Perez were to take a poll on his continuity for next season as things stand, the majority would vote in favour of Arbeloa remaining. When he arrived, the dressing room was split on the sacking of Xabi Alonso, but through several key advances, has gradually won them over.
On the pitch of course, victories are a necessity, and Arbeloa has shown tactical acumen to find a system that is getting the best out Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior – two players who were more marginalised under Alonso, but are now two of Arbeloa’s biggest backers. The Real Madrid players are happy with the ideas Arbeloa is pursuing, the work they are doing on a day-to-day basis and the style of play. His coaching staff have also gotten on well with the players.
Arbeloa’s messaging in public
Another factor that has won over the Real Madrid players is Arbeloa’s public messaging. Of late he has claimed that Antonio Rudiger deserves a contract renewal, that Thibaut Courtois is the best goalkeeper in the club’s history, and had words of praise for a number of players. Courtois, Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni have all bought into Arbeloa’s methods too. In addition, his benching of Trent Alexander-Arnold, accepted by the Englishman but a show of Arbeloa’s discipline, in favour of Dani Carvajal in the Madrid derby has gone down well.
A further feather in his cap is the presence of the Castilla players, who not only buy into his method, but back him to the hilt too, with Arbeloa responsible for giving Manuel Angel, Thiago Pitarch and Cesar Palacios their first opportunities in the first team.
The question many are asking now is how well Arbeloa can reintegrate Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe back into the side following their injuries. Brahim Diaz has made sense of their four-midfielder system over the last two weeks, but Bellingham and Mbappe being introduced will change their method of playing in some way.
