Manager say “no chance” he’ll stay as assistant coach and thanks players for making him “a better manager”
Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season after a four-month spell in charge that ended without silverware.
The former Madrid defender took over in January following the dismissal of Xabi Alonso but was unable to revive the club’s title challenge, with Barcelona securing La Liga after victory in the clásico while Bayern Munich eliminated Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Arbeloa departs after overseeing the final stretch of a difficult season and with uncertainty surrounding the next appointment. Jose Mourinho has emerged as the leading candidate to return but no formal announcement has been made.
The 42-year-old has spent much of the past decade working within Madrid’s academy structure and described his exit as a temporary farewell after two decades at the club as player and coach.
“I’m leaving Real Madrid with a great deal of gratitude towards my players,” Arbeloa said. “They’ve made me a better person, helped me enjoy every day, taught me a great deal, and made me a better manager today than I was on 12 January.”
Arbeloa also ruled out the prospect of joining Mourinho’s coaching staff should the Portuguese return to the Bernabeu.
“There’s no chance that I’ll be joining him,” Arbeloa said. “From Monday onwards, it’ll be time for me to think about what’s best for me. I’ve improved a great deal over these four months and I feel ready for new challenges.”
