Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and hinted Jose Mourinho would replace him at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Arbeloa succeeded Xabi Alonso following his sacking in January but has presided over a period of turmoil with Madrid ending without a trophy amid reports of widespread dressing room discord.
His final game in charge will be tomorrow night’s home clash with Athletic Bilbao.
“I hope it’s a see you later, I’ve always considered Madrid my home,” he said when asked if tomorrow is a goodbye for the former Madrid full-back.
“I’ve belonged to Madrid for 20 years, it’s my home. It’s my last game this season, I don’t know if it’s the last of my life as a Madrid coach, we never know. I’ll try to enjoy it. And think about winning.”
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Mourinho will bring his own people to Real Madrid – Arbeloa
Mourinho is almost certain to return for a second spell in the Spanish capital but Arbeloa admitted he would not remain on the coaching staff.
“Mou has a fantastic coaching staff, he is well surrounded,” he added. “If he comes, he will do it with his own people, as it should be. There’s no chance I can be with him. I have been thinking about Madrid these four months, from now on it will be time to think about me. I have made the leap, I am prepared for new challenges.”
Arbeloa has had to cope with a squad packed full of egos and that has caused numerous problems with Kylian Mbappe going on holiday rather than work on his recovery from a hamstring injury while midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde engaged in a training ground fracas that left the latter requiring hospital treatment.
“I am very grateful to the players for what we have been through,” said Arbeloa. “We’ve had differences, it’s normal. We have solved it in the best way. We have shown respect.
“For me, the important thing is always how you face them [problems]. And I have done it in the best way, thinking about Madrid. I have thought more about Madrid than myself in recent months, but I have done the best for the club. In another club it would have been different, but it was what I had to do. There is no room for repentance.”
Arbeloa hails long-serving Real Madrid defender Carvajal
It won’t just be Arbeloa saying goodbye tomorrow with long-serving defender Dani Carvajal also bringing his long stint at the club to an end.
“He is a symbol of what a Madrid player should be,” said Arbeloa. “He put the first stone in at Valdebebas, it is special, unique. It will be a beautiful day for everyone, to give him a tribute. When he looks back, he will be very proud of what he has done. We Madrid fans have been very lucky.”
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