Real Madrid entered 2026 with a strict corrective plan after a period marked by inconsistency and unpredictable performances on the pitch. The team, once considered among the strongest in the world, has been suffering from a lack of discipline and control within the dressing room, while their arch-rivals Barcelona have dominated on all fronts, leaving the management scrambling for quick solutions before crucial matches.
Sources close to the club have confirmed that the management has appointed Álvaro Arbeloa as the team’s leader, aiming to restore prestige and order and to establish strict rules to ensure control over both young and senior players. The current uncertainty surrounding the future of some players suggests that decisive changes could occur in the coming weeks.
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Arbeloa, 42, has already begun implementing his philosophy with the first team, focusing on restoring discipline both on and off the field. The management believes that some first-team players have not lived up to expectations, with Dani Ceballos being a prime example. The coach has not given Ceballos any significant role in major matches, preferring to rely on rising talents from the club’s academy.
The newspaper Estadio Deportivo reported that Real Madrid is open to Ceballos’ departure, especially after Real Betis renewed their interest in signing him, with the possibility of negotiating a loan or a permanent transfer for a suitable price. Meanwhile, Arbeloa has plans to replace him by relying on promising young players, most notably Tiago Pitarch and Beto Martinez, whom the management expects to become key members of the squad in the coming period.
These moves reflect Real Madrid’s desire to restructure the team while retaining talent and fighting spirit, and to utilize the winter transfer window to get the season back on track. Next summer may see more signings and decisions regarding the future of players who haven’t performed to expectations, while giving opportunities to those capable of turning things around and returning Real Madrid to the top of European football.
