Real Madrid News
Arbeloa to a Real Madrid player in January – ‘You won’t play a single minute under me’
Tensions and leaks continue to emerge from inside the Real Madrid dressing room.
After last week brought to light a physical confrontation between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, new revelations have now surfaced regarding Alvaro Arbeloa’s management style since taking charge of the first team.
Arbeloa told Fran Garcia he would not play under him
Indeed, according to Jose Felix Diaz of AS (h/t Mundo Deportivo), shortly after replacing Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager in January, Arbeloa was brutally direct with Fran García about his situation in the squad.
The former defender allegedly told the left-back: “You won’t play a single minute under me.”
It must be remembered that Garcia came close to leaving Real Madrid in January, with a move to Bournemouth seeming close, only for the club to pull the plug on the deal in the last minute.
Ironically, Arbeloa’s prediction did not entirely come true. Although Garcia remained a secondary figure within the squad during the early parts of Arbeloa’s tenure, the academy product has gained prominence in recent weeks.
Falling out with Alvaro Carreras as well
Indeed, with Arbeloa having a falling out with left-back Alvaro Carreras, and Ferland Mendy’s injury, have opened the doors for Garcia to play more regularly under the current manager.
As already reported, the Real Madrid head coach had a heated exchange with Carreras in the recent past. After the player questioned one of the coach’s decisions, Arbeloa allegedly responded:
“Get your coaching license yourself.”
Arbeloa’s handling of the dressing room has increasingly come under scrutiny in recent weeks, especially following public tensions involving Kylian Mbappe.
The former defender-turned-manager has also had run-ins with Dani Carvajal, Dani Ceballos, and Raul Asencio.
All these incidents further reinforce the growing perception that the atmosphere inside the Real Madrid dressing room has become increasingly unstable.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender takes major step towards comeback; set for return after international break
Real Madrid are finally beginning to see a clear path back for Eder Militao, with the defender now in the final phase of his rehabilitation and increasingly expected to return after the next international break.
Militao has been sidelined since suffering a tear to the proximal biceps femoris tendon in his left leg during the meeting with Alaves last April.
The injury required surgery, but his recovery has now reached a stage where his return can be discussed in more concrete terms.
Militao steps up rehabilitation at Valdebebas
While Real Madrid completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s trip to Elche, Militao was working separately from the main group at the Valdebebas Training Centre.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian defender carried out specific exercises with the club’s rehabilitation staff and physiotherapists on pitches 1 and 2.
The work represents another step in a recovery process that has kept him away from competitive action for several months.
Mind you, Militao will not be involved against Elche, but the latest signs are considerably more encouraging for what comes next.
Return now expected after international break
The timeline surrounding Militao’s comeback is finally becoming clearer. Provided his recovery continues at its current pace, Real Madrid expect the centre-back to be available to Mourinho once the international break is over.
That break is scheduled to take place from the end of September into the first week of October, meaning Militao could be back by mid-October at the latest.
For a defender who has endured another significant spell on the sidelines, simply having a defined target gives an important moment in his rehabilitation.
Real Madrid still missing players
Militao’s progress is particularly welcome because Real Madrid continue to deal with several absences in the squad.
On that note, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain on the injury list and are not expected to return as quickly as Militao.
Both these players are therefore ruled out of the Elche fixture, leaving Mourinho without several established options.
Beyond Elche, though, Militao’s return offers Real Madrid something far more valuable: another experienced defensive option for the demanding weeks ahead.
After surgery and months of rehabilitation, the Brazilian is now entering the final stretch, and if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could have their defender back in the squad around the middle of October.
