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TomVinall
20h
Updated at May 5, 2026, 18:44
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According to a recent report in Spanish media, Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has accused right-back Dani Carvajal.

We can say with almost complete certainty that Alvaro Arbeloa will not be the head coach of Real Madrid next season.

At Los Blancos, winning is a requirement. Although the 42-year-old came in mid-season, the team was knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage, and it is almost impossible for them to win La Liga.

It feels a bit harsh on Arbeloa - the team was also knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage last season, and they did not win the La Liga title. So, it wasn't like things were all sunshine and roses last season either. 

However, there have been a lot of reports lately that Arbeloa does not get on well with a number of players, particularly Dani Ceballos, who has been left out of the last few match-day squads despite having no injury or illness. 

Well, it looks as if there may be one more player who does not see eye to eye with the boss. Indeed, as Spanish media outlet ABC.es reports, Arbeloa believes Dani Carvajal has cared more about himself and his desire to play in this summer's World Cup than about Real Madrid. 

Now, this is certainly very interesting. Not least considering the two were teammates at the club for a number of years. In fact, it was Carvajal who took Arbeloa's spot in the team in the right-back position. 

Maybe there is some resentment there from the gaffer? It would be very petty, mind you. Not least because it was a decade and more ago, but also considering he was already pretty done in his career by then. After leaving the Spanish capital, he made just three appearances for West Ham United before retiring. 

So, maybe there is some truth to it? The 34-year-old has only played 427 minutes since his former teammate came in, with Trent Alexander-Arnold clearly preferred in that position. 

Something worth noting is that there have been accusations from parts of the Real Madrid fanbase that Carvajal is feigning an injury. With there being a suggestion he will be out until the final game of the season, some are saying it cannot be a coincidence that he would return for a farewell from the Bernabeu before leaving the club.

As for the World Cup, well, it is certainly a race against time. He is clearly not playing very often at club level, and he has only played once for the national team - 28 minutes off the bench - since his ACL injury in the autumn of 2024. It looks as if Pedro Porro and Marcos Llorente may be the preferred options in that position. 

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