Real Madrid's 2-4 defeat to Benfica has left Alvaro Arbeloa facing the same problem that Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso have both experienced: a lack of match intensity.
1. Since taking over as Real Madrid's coach two weeks ago, Alvaro Arbeloa has strived to craft speeches that resonate with the players. In public, he takes full responsibility for the defeats, however bitter they may be, and despite the short time he has in charge.
He defended Vinicius Junior, who has been criticized by Bernabeu, and insisted he would demand the team give him "as much of the ball as possible " because "he is the most impactful player in the world ."
Arbeloa emphasized that he did not want two strikers "having to drop back to chase after full-backs" . Regarding Fede Valverde, he said the player "embodies the spirit of Juanito (one of Madrid's icons of the 1980s) " .
The former right-back also highlighted the “level of commitment” of Jude Bellingham, who has been questioned for his form, and recounted that the day before in a training session he had told the England player, “Don’t run so much anymore. He runs more than you can imagine.”
Recently, after a night of dejected performances in Lisbon, Arbeloa flatly refused to comment on the team's lack of intensity.
This contrasts with the reactions of Kylian Mbappe – “it’s about having more desire” – and Bellingham – “they win all the challenges” .
2. Statistics refute Arbeloa's claim: Benfica ran 10 km more than Real Madrid (151.9 compared to 141.5). Since the beginning of last season, "Los Blancos" have only surpassed their rivals in this statistic in one Champions League match (against Atalanta, December 2024) out of a total of 22 matches played.
However, Arbeloa remained steadfast in this argument and refused to acknowledge a flaw that could directly impact the level of commitment in the dressing room.
This has been a matter of life and death since August 2024, a fact acknowledged by Carlo Ancelotti in every match. Even the usually reserved Xabi Alonso had to mention it before being sacked.
The dark night in Portugal encapsulated almost all of Real Madrid's shortcomings. First and foremost was their lack of connection with the game, and when they tried to speed up in the second half, their inability to create play and chances became apparent.
Since Mbappe's goal to reduce the deficit to 2-3, Benfica had more shots on target than Real Madrid (4 compared to 3). Throughout the match, Jose Mourinho's team had twice as many shots on target as their Spanish opponents (12-6).
The 2-4 defeat against Mourinho has now thrust Arbeloa straight into the heart of the crisis at Real Madrid.
He will have to make a decision from here, especially regarding the "gap" that has existed for the past year and a half and has been acknowledged by many members of the dressing room. It's a matter of willpower and spirit.
3. Just 15 days after being promoted to the first team, Arbeloa witnessed a drop in the players' energy.
Solutions for rebuilding football seem difficult to address in the short term, as it relates more to the club's personnel planning. One example is Florentino Perez's refusal to buy a new midfielder capable of filling the void left by Toni Kroos.
Immediately after the defeat against Benfica, Arbeloa insisted on acting as a "shield" to continue defending the players. However, in terms of attitude, he appeared more reserved and less talkative, even curt in some of his responses.
While in Albacete, just two days after his presentation, Arbeloa spoke at length and didn't shy away from any topic, in Lisbon he was much more reserved.
The crucial point regarding intensity also directly relates to what Arbeloa has stated he expects from his players.
“I want a team with desire, energy, motivation, personality, character, and ambition; a team that transmits passion from the very first minute, transcending the football ideas we will gradually build,” he said 10 days ago.
While awaiting Arbeloa's decision, it's certain that falling into the play-offs, potentially facing Benfica or Bodo/Glimt (draw at 6 PM today), means Real Madrid won't have five weeks to focus solely on La Liga.
This unexpected incident also highlighted the need for improved physical fitness, a point Arbeloa repeatedly emphasized, aligning with the leadership's direction.
This weekend (8:00 PM on February 1st), during the Madrid derby against Rayo Vallecano, it is highly likely that the Bernabeu stands will once again erupt in anger.