Real Madrid News
No impact – Real Madrid’s bench has been highly ineffective under Alvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid are set to complete a second consecutive season without a major trophy, capping off a campaign that has witnessed dressing room issues, managerial instability and a relentless injury crisis.
However, another key weakness for Real Madrid this season has been the sheer lack of impact from the bench.
Substitutes making no impact
As reported by AS, Real Madrid have scored just two goals from substitute appearances under Alvaro Arbeloa since he took charge in January, one of the lowest returns of any top European side this season.
The first came from Arda Guler against Elche at the Bernabeu, when the Turk added a fourth goal with the score already at 3-1.
The second was Militao’s equaliser against Mallorca on his return from injury – a goal that ultimately proved insufficient as Madrid went on to lose the match.
In every other fixture, Arbeloa’s substitutions have had no bearing on the final result.
Players like Brahim Diaz, Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia have all been introduced but have made little to no impact when it comes to contributing goals or decisive moments.
This is not an Arbeloa-specific problem for Real Madrid. Even under Xabi Alonso, the team struggled to make an impact through substitutions, and there was a certain disconnect within the ranks.
Arbeloa was brought in as a familiar, homegrown alternative. Instead, results under him have been worse than under his predecessor, with the team failing to turn around matches from the bench.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
