Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder unlikely to play again this season after run-in with Arbeloa – report
Since taking over the reins of the Real Madrid first team, Alvaro Arbeloa has not had a smooth sailing in the dressing room despite it seeming so from the outside.
Reports of problems with Raul Asencio surfaced which led to his brief absence from the squad list for a few games.
In the last few days, there have been constant rumours of a tense relationship between the manager and club captain Dani Carvajal.
Run-in between Dani Ceballos and Arbeloa
Now, according to journalist Miguel Angel Diaz of COPE, Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos had a run-in with Arbeloa earlier this week, which has led to his omission from the squad list for tonight’s game against Real Betis.
The 29-year-old midfielder has been barely called upon by Arbeloa since he took over the reins back in January.
Indeed Ceballos has played only five times under the former defender, although he did miss a few matches through injury. However, in the four games since he returned, the Spaniard has not once been asked to warm up during games by the manager.
This seemingly led to a confrontation between the player and the manager earlier this week, leading to him being left out of the squad.
In fact, Ceballos is unlikely to be called up for any of Real Madrid’s remaining matches by Arbeloa for the rest of the season.
So, with the midfielder expected to leave at the end of the season, there is a good chance that the 29-year-old may have already played his last game for Arbeloa.
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
