The pressure surrounding Real Madrid continues to intensify, and following the disappointing 1-1 draw against Real Betis at La Cartuja, the spotlight has shifted onto manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
At a time when Madrid needed authority and clarity, what followed instead was more frustration, both on the pitch and in the aftermath.
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Arbeloa’s decision to once again highlight refereeing decisions as a key factor behind the result has not gone down well, particularly given the team’s underwhelming performance.
Spanish media rips in Arbeloa
Criticism quickly gathered pace in the Spanish media, with El Larguero delivering a particularly sharp assessment of the situation.
The general sentiment was already clear that Real Madrid’s issues run far deeper than refereeing decisions, and many believe the manager is failing to address them directly.
That frustration was summed up bluntly during the broadcast, where the panel questioned Arbeloa’s approach.
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One of the key criticisms centred on his perceived deflection of responsibility, as they stated,
“Clinging to the refereeing after the performance Real Madrid put in shows a lack of responsibility as a manager.”
The same line of discussion continued, with further remarks showing what was seen as a misplaced focus at a critical moment in the season.
“Focusing on the refereeing strikes me as sad,” the panel added.
The criticism did not stop there, as the programme went on to underline just how damaging the recent run of results has been in the context of Madrid’s expectations.
“If it weren’t for Arbeloa, 5 out of 12 is a sacking record at Madrid.”
However, the most striking comments came from journalist Antonio Romero, who delivered a scathing assessment not just of Arbeloa’s post-match comments, but also of his broader tactical decisions.
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“Arbeloa tries to explain what happened on the pitch using what he learnt from his idol, Mourinho. I’d like to hear Arbeloa talk about football.
“Let him explain why he brings on Alaba, who is practically a retired player, when he has Asensio.
“Why doesn’t Carvajal play if Trent has a yellow card? The referee’s tantrum is not befitting of the Real Madrid manager,” he added.
And as the discussion reached its conclusion, he delivered a final remark that showed just how far confidence in the manager has fallen.
“Arbeloa perhaps refuses to talk about football because he feels like a sporting has-been, because as Real Madrid manager he has nowhere left to go,” he concluded.
