In January 2026, Álvaro Arbeloa was appointed as Real Madrid senior team manager. Even though this appointment is good news for the new manager, it could quickly become bad news for him. Yes, and that could happen if he doesn’t learn from past mistakes of those coming before him. As such, that could lead to his dismissal from the club.
In this post, we have compiled 4 things Álvaro Arbeloa needs to know as the new Real Madrid manager. As usual, this blog post promises to be insightful.
4 Things Álvaro Arbeloa Needs to Know As The New Real Madrid Manager
Below are 4 Things Álvaro Arbeloa needs to know as the new Real Madrid manager:
1. Real Madrid Dressing Room Ego
In the world of football, the Real Madrid’s dressing room has been cited as one of the most challenging environments in football for coaches. So, Álvaro Arbeloa needs to understand this and how this could affect his team if things are not kept in check.
The influence of the Real Madrid dressing room was seen when Xabi Alonso was the coach of Real Madrid. In fact, it was reported that the Real Madrid players undermined his methods and tactics. His dismissal by Real Madrid was even described as a “player victory” since it was reported that he was too strict when it comes to adhering to the tactics.
Xabi Alonso began to encounter challenges when senior players such as Vinicius felt dissatisfied by changes he made. There were also strong rumors that his tactics affected the freedom of the attackers and that his training sessions were too tedious.
On the other hand, Álvaro Arbeloa has already downplayed the ego concerns by saying “It’s not something that worries me” and praising the professional qualities of Madrid’s stars. However, what he should remember is that it goes beyond words but action to really remove actions from the Real Madrid dressing room.
2. Rodrygo Can Be Clinical
Rodrygo was one of the least used players under Xabi Alonso. At the beginning of the 2025/2026 season, he was not playing as a Real Madrid player because he did not fit Xabi Alonso’s tactics. However, during the later part of Xabi Alonso’s tenure, he began to be used in fixtures. Yes, even in tough matches he proved to be one of the most clinical players in Real Madrid.
So, Álvaro Arbeloa has a simple job at Real Madrid and that is to recognize the impact that Rodrygo brings to the game. So, this involves building a relationship between himself and Rodrygo in order to gain the confidence of the players. In addition, Álvaro Arbeloa also needs to use Rodrygo in big matches where he performs.
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3. The UEFA Champions League Remains the Target
Another thing that Álvaro Arbeloa needs to know is that for Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League is the main goal for each season. According to Real Madrid, European success is more valuable than any other competition.
During Alonso’s tenure, the UCL pressure contributed heavily to scrutiny. Matches where Real Madrid lost or performed poorly especially in the Champions League made people question his ability as a coach.
For Álvaro Arbeloa, he must be able to show competitive consistency in matches that he coaches Real Madrid. To do this, he must sign marquee players and ensure that all players are rotated adequately in order to keep them fresh. In addition, just like with Carlo Ancelloti and Zinedine Zidane, Álvaro Arbeloa must build the players mentally. All of these would contribute to Álvaro Arbeloa
4. Man Management Over Tactics
One of the most talked-about things from Xabi Alonso’s spell as coach was that at Real Madrid, he didn’t lay emphasis on man management over tactics. In a recent interview by Gareth Bale, he highlighted this in an interview.
He mentioned that you can be a fantastic coach and still fail if you cannot manage personalities. In the interview, Gareth Bale specifically said Madrid’s dressing room requires ego management and emotional intelligence because star players need a delicate touch.
Álvaro Arbeloa seems to be already aware of this as he publicly emphasized creating a positive environment where players enjoy themselves and “honour the badge.” But to truly excel in his job, Álvaro Arbeloa must establish clear boundaries with respect. In addition, he must be able give players confidence while still holding them accountable.
The reason why he must incorporate all of this is because players who feel respected and understood tend to perform better on the pitch. Of course, that would lead to trophies results.
Conclusion
Álvaro Arbeloa has inherited a multi talented team in Real Madrid. Yes, stars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo. However, he must learn to manage these stars to these players to bring out their best abilities. The best way to do that is to ensure that he prioritizes man management over tactics. If he does that, he would develop players who are willing to spill their blood on the pitch for him.