Real Madrid are four points behind Barcelona in La Liga Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
Xabi Alonso has been sacked as Real Madrid head coach and replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa.
Arbeloa, 42, is highly regarded at the Bernabeu — but he has never coached elite level footballers. His only experience of the senior game comes from the time he’s been in charge of the club’s reserve team this season, Real Madrid Castilla, having been promoted from the under-19s in May.
Is that the right call? We will never know what Alonso’s Madrid might have turned into with more time — but in this article we would like to hear your thoughts on that decision and several others still facing the Spanish giants.
On the pitch, Arbeloa inherits a team who are four points behind defending champions Barcelona in La Liga, while in the Champions League progress to the knockout round looks likely, but not yet assured. Later on Wednesday they travel to second-division Albacete in the Copa del Rey for Arbeloa’s first match in charge.
Off the pitch, Madrid have been exploring historic change to their ownership structure, which would allow outside investment for the first time. Vinicius Junior’s contract has entered its final 18 months, while the contracts of Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba all expire at the end of the season.
We would love to hear your thoughts. This article will be open for replies until Friday, when we will publish the results alongside analysis and commentary from our Real Madrid team.
Let’s dive in.


















