The Spanish newspapers are the simplest and sometimes hardest-hitting resource for the latest information on club football in the country – in particular in Madrid. Barcelona exited the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, but whispers of discontent over that defeat were in direct contrast to talk of the “revolution” required at Real Madrid after their elimination from Europe’s top table. Barcelona remain on course for back-to-back titles on the domestic front, easing the criticism thrown their way for their Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
Real, however, face a second trophyless season – trailing Barca by nine points in La Liga – and an uproar that has not been quietened by the fact they have already changed manager once this season. As record Champions League winners, Real at least went out with a bang in Munich, but that is unlikely to keep interim head coach Alvaro Arbeloa in the running to become the permanent replacement for Xabi Alonso, who was sacked in January. Arbeloa’s side took the lead three times at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday and, until Eduardo Camavinga’s 86th-minute red card, had every chance of going through after digging deep and going blow for blow with the Bavarian giants in a thrilling clash.
A late double for Bayern consigned Madrid to a 4-3 defeat on the night – one on which Arbeloa said his team gave “their souls and their lives” – and a 6-4 aggregate loss. That revolution is likely to cost Arbeloa his job. He was perhaps a long shot to join the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho in managing Los Blancos as an internally promoted coach.
Los Blancos are now braced for more pain and possible change in the weeks and months to follow. If I’m hurt today, it’s not for me. It’s for Real Madrid and because this year we will not win our 16th [Champions League title].” Failure is rarely tolerated under Real President Florentino Perez without someone paying the price.
When Arbeloa was promoted in January, Madrid did not state the length of his contract, suggesting he had no long-term guarantees. The coach has found it hard to motivate the squad at times in La Liga and has only 13 victories in 21 matches at the helm. In his first game in charge, Real’s superstars were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by second-tier Albacete.
Yet his bold, attacking lineup against Bayern almost paid off. Arbeloa left Camavinga and Thiago Pitarch on the bench and opted for an aggressive midfield trio of Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and Turkish playmaker Arda Guler, who struck twice. Ultimately, it was not enough, and Real will likely fail to win any silverware for a second successive season for the first time since the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 campaigns.
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