Florentino puts himself in the hands of an old "acquaintance"

BarcelonaWhen Barcelona fans think of Álvaro Arbeloa, Gerard Piqué probably comes to mind. During one of the most tense periods in football between Barça and Real Madrid, the Barcelona center-back mocked his Real Madrid counterpart, saying they weren't friends, simply... "acquaintances"He paused sarcastically after the "cone." This was Arbeloa's nickname, which Piqué, in a war of words at the end of 2015, blurted out during a press conference. A decade later, the now-retired footballer becomes the new Real Madrid coach, replacing Xabi Alonso.

The son of a Navarrese father and a Catalan mother, Arbeloa was born in Salamanca in January 1983, but spent his childhood in Zaragoza, as his family moved there when he was four years old for work. He played in the youth ranks of the Aragonese club, and Real Madrid recruited him at 18 for their youth team (2001). Although he would debut with the first team three years later, Real Madrid didn't have much faith in him and transferred him to Deportivo La Coruña. From there, he made the leap to Rafa Benítez's Liverpool, where he gained playing time, prominence, and a place in the Spanish national team. In the summer of 2009, coinciding with Florentino Pérez's return to the Real Madrid presidency, Arbeloa rejoined the club, where he remained until 2016. Plagued by injuries, the full-back finished his career at West Ham United in England.

Two Champions League titles, one La Liga title, two European Championships, and one World Cup are the main professional credentials of Arbeloa, who never held back when defending his beloved Real Madrid and criticizing Barcelona. The center-back coincided with José Mourinho's tenure when Real Madrid was trailing behind Guardiola and Messi's Barcelona. Unable to win on the pitch, Mourinho fanned the flames, creating a tense atmosphere that ultimately strained the relationship between the players who were teammates on the national team. Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) and Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) tried to smooth things over, something the Portuguese coach didn't appreciate at all. In this battle, Arbeloa sided with Mourinho, which caused friction in the Real Madrid dressing room, where he was eventually accused of being a snitch and a traitor. Ironically, Xabi Alonso was one of the few friends he remained with until the end.

From José Mourinho to Florentino Pérez

Mourinho's departure in 2013 was a major blow for Arbeloa, who automatically lost his starting position. However, he stayed at Real Madrid on the orders of Florentino Pérez, who didn't care if the dressing room was fractured. For the all-powerful president, he was a perfect ally who agreed to everything and parroted the official line. A loyal servant of the owner, he saw out his contract even though neither Ancelotti, initially, nor Zidane, later, had any faith in him.

But Arbeloa stood firm. He knew how to navigate the corridors of power and ended up gaining the trust of Florentino Pérez, who guaranteed him a job once he hung up his boots. The good relationship continued even away from the Bernabéu. A journalism graduate and very active on social media, Arbeloa always had his finger ready to write messages praising the management of the VIP box and, above all, criticizing a Barça side that continued to reign supreme in Spanish competitions with Leo Messi leading the charge.

In 2020, after obtaining his coaching license, Arbeloa joined Real Madrid's youth academy. However, his experience on the sidelines is limited to Valdebebas, where, after coaching the U14, U16, and U19 teams, he had made his debut this season as manager of Real Madrid Castilla. Six months later, he makes the leap to the elite. A move that doesn't faze Florentino Pérez at all, who prefers someone from his own camp, even if they lack experience in La Liga. Now it's up to Arbeloa to show whether he has his own footballing ideas or if, as the president wants, he'll just field players and manage a dressing room full of egos.