Kylian Mbappe’s second season at Real Madrid has turned into far more than a soccer story on the pitch. Jose Mourinho’s name is suddenly back at the center of discussions around the club, while Alvaro Arbeloa’s future appears increasingly uncertain as tensions continue to rise behind the scenes at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The atmosphere around the Spanish giant has reportedly become chaotic in recent weeks. From dressing-room disputes to disagreements involving senior stars, Real Madrid is now facing one of its most turbulent periods in years as the club searches for answers before next season begins.
The situation escalated dramatically following reports of a physical altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni during training. According to multiple reports from Diario AS, COPE, and OndaCero, Valverde was later taken to hospital after suffering a head injury during the incident.
The conflict reportedly exposed deeper fractures inside the dressing room. Several players are said to have stopped speaking to Alvaro Arbeloa, while the squad has allegedly split into different groups following a difficult campaign without major trophies.
Tchouameni and Valverde had a discussion
Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso earlier in the season after Zinedine Zidane declined a return, has come under increasing pressure. Fabrizio Romano reported that the former defender has “less than 10% chances to stay” at the end of the season, with the club already preparing for change.
Arbeloa blamed as Mbappe becomes part of the growing controversy
The former Real Madrid defender initially arrived with hopes of calming the squad and rebuilding harmony. Instead, reports claim the board has become frustrated with his handling of the dressing room, particularly after the Valverde-Tchouameni incident.
“Arbeloa didn’t intervene at all during yesterday’s fight — Real Madrid board are aware of that,” El Mundo stated. That detail reportedly angered figures inside the club hierarchy, who now view the manager as unable to control the situation.
Alvaro Arbeloa, Head Coach of Real Madrid, congratulates Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid for scoring.
According to Diario AS, at least six players have effectively fallen out with Arbeloa. Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, Raul Asencio, and Alvaro Carreras were all mentioned in reports surrounding internal disagreements with the coach.
Mbappe’s arrival in the summer of 2024 was initially viewed as the beginning of a new golden era. Instead, several reports now claim that his signing unintentionally accelerated tensions inside the squad. There are also claims that the Frenchman frustrated teammates after travelling to Italy during a difficult stretch of the season rather than remaining closer to the squad.
Mourinho talks intensify behind the scenes as Madrid’s key decision emerges
As the crisis deepened, Mourinho’s name quickly re-emerged as a serious candidate for the job. Reports from The Athletic and Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Real Madrid has already opened discussions with the Portuguese manager’s representatives.
The final decision on Mourinho’s return now rests with Florentino Perez, who is personally driving the process behind the scenes. Fabrizio Romano revealed on X (formerly Twitter): “Operation Mourinho has started at Real Madrid.” He also noted that “it depends on Madrid. Up to Florentino Perez: he will decide if Mourinho returns or not.”
Florentino Perez (left) and Jose Mourinho (right)
The implication is clear: the structure of the club is weighing a decisive shift in leadership direction. The Portuguese boss reportedly remains open to returning to the Bernabeu despite currently managing Benfica. His contract supposedly includes a release clause worth around $3.5 million, a figure Real Madrid could easily activate if Perez chooses to move forward in a bid to reset control.
