Real Madrid head coach Álvaro Arbeloa has expressed his enthusiasm for a potential return of José Mourinho, referring to his former manager as “number one” and rejecting claims that the team’s dressing room has become “unmanageable.”
In recent weeks, Madrid has experienced a series of high-profile incidents, including a training ground altercation between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde, as well as Madrid president Florentino Pérez calling for elections after a second consecutive trophy-less season. Additionally, Kylian Mbappé recently stated that Arbeloa had described him as the team’s “fourth-choice forward.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho has emerged as a frontrunner to succeed Arbeloa next season, with ESPN noting that he is the leading candidate on a three-man shortlist for the position.
“I don’t agree with the notion of an unmanageable dressing room,” Arbeloa stated in a press conference ahead of Madrid’s upcoming LaLiga match against Sevilla. “That’s not an accurate description of the Real Madrid dressing room.”
“Regarding José, my stance is clear. As a player and a lifelong Real Madrid supporter, I believe Mourinho is the best. I’ve thought that since a month ago when we faced him in the Champions League with Benfica, and I still do. José is, and will always be, ‘one of us.’ If he returns next season, I would be thrilled to welcome him back home.”
After being elevated from his role as reserve team manager to succeed Xabi Alonso in January, Arbeloa denied that the turbulence of the latter half of the 2025-26 season had tarnished his coaching reputation.
Madrid heads into the fixture against Sevilla trailing champions Barcelona by 11 points, with Barcelona securing their title following a Clásico victory over Madrid last weekend.
“I came in four months ago as a coach in the RFEF First Division [third tier], and now I’m leaving as the Real Madrid coach, having managed Champions League matches. Not many coaches can say that,” Arbeloa reflected. “These past four months have been a valuable experience and a tremendous learning opportunity for me. Every day spent here and in front of you has been like pursuing a Master’s degree. I will depart with a clear conscience.”
Mbappé missed the Clásico due to injury and only appeared as a substitute in Madrid’s recent 2-0 victory over Real Oviedo on Thursday.
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After the match, top scorer Mbappé informed the media that Arbeloa had labeled him as the “fourth-choice forward” on the team, although the coach subsequently denied this assertion, attributing it to a misunderstanding.
“I just arrived here and spoke with him,” Arbeloa clarified on Saturday. “I told him to stay calm, that I’d handle the situation. I understand that much of what is stated in the media can be sensationalized. Kylian’s comments in the mixed zone were something we had already discussed. I think that’s perfectly normal.
“I’ve been in that position before. I know how players feel when they are sidelined. I understand Kylian’s frustration the other day, and I appreciate it. It would be concerning if he didn’t care about playing for Real Madrid, even in circumstances like this. I find it far more typical than how it has been portrayed.
“In my view — right or wrong, and everyone is entitled to their opinion — the best approach was for him to play some time in the second half, so he could be prepared for Sunday’s match [against Sevilla]. If it hadn’t been for Sunday’s game, the situation would have played out differently. However, I see what happened recently as completely normal. My relationship with Mbappé remains unchanged.”
Arbeloa also stated that he was not upset with Mbappé for discussing their conversation with the press.
“When I talk to the players, I’m not worried they might share our discussions,” Arbeloa mentioned. “While I prefer to keep private conversations confidential, I have no issue if they choose to talk about them. There’s no problem at all.”