Welcome to the latest edition of Inside Real Madrid, our weekly series to follow throughout La Liga’s 2025-26 season.
Every week, we will bring you key information and analysis on the biggest talking points, cutting through the noisy world of all things Madridista with reporting you can trust.
The information contained in this article reflects multiple conversations with various sources at Madrid, all of whom spoke anonymously to protect relationships.
What’s the biggest talking point at Real Madrid right now?
After a dramatic week that included the sacking of Xabi Alonso and his replacement Alvaro Arbeloa losing at second-tier Albacete on his debut, the best news for Madrid came on Sunday night.
Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad means Madrid are now just one point behind the defending La Liga champions at the top of the table.
But the day before, fans at the Bernabeu showed their extreme displeasure with the club’s recent decisions and performances. They called for president Florentino Perez to resign and big-name players were whistled and jeered.
The mood remains one of maximum tension and nervousness — and media reports suggesting Madrid are already looking at replacements for Arbeloa have only added to the uncertainty.
What did we learn from Saturday’s game?
The atmosphere at the Bernabeu during Madrid’s 2-0 home victory over Levante was perhaps the most tense in decades.
There were at least three occasions when chants of ‘Florentino resign!’ were heard. This had not happened since the 2015-2016 season, when president Florentino Perez fired Rafa Benitez in January to give the job to Zinedine Zidane, promoting the Frenchman from Madrid’s reserves (just like Arbeloa has been).
There were many boos for the players — both in general and individually — with particular emphasis on Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and, to a lesser extent, Federico Valverde. The Athletic had reported that these three players were among those who did not buy into Alonso’s methods.
Due to mistakes made during the game, Eduardo Camavinga and Dean Huijsen — signed from Bournemouth for £50million ($67m) last summer — were also targeted for criticism.
Vinicius Jr and Bellingham were booed every time they had the ball. Kylian Mbappe asked the crowd to stop, as did Vinicius Jr. That did not happen, and the Brazilian was the first to leave the pitch after the final whistle.
After the game, Vinicius Jr posted a photo on Instagram from the dressing room with a commemorative shirt for his 350th Real Madrid match, a landmark he achieved in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat by Albacete in the Copa del Rey last 16.
Valverde did the same, celebrating the same milestone, but by posing with Perez for a photo on the pitch, in a joint post with the club’s account on Instagram.
On his 43rd birthday, Arbeloa took charge of his first game at the Bernabeu as Madrid manager. Madrid’s Grada Fans section (a supporters group that is organised by the club) chanted his name, with fans from other areas reacting against it.
Arbeloa and Mbappe during Saturday’s win over Levante (Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Unsurprisingly, Barcelona’s defeat the following day was widely celebrated at all levels of the club.
“It’s mandatory to believe always,” said a source from the coaching staff. This same source expressed confidence that the team will improve enough to win the title.
What exactly is Arbeloa’s position?
The former Liverpool and Madrid defender, who is highly regarded within by the club’s board, was appointed as Alonso’s replacement last Monday. However, Madrid have not publicly specified what kind of a contract he has signed, or how long it will run.
When asked by The Athletic, Madrid declined to go into detail, describing the situation as “not important”. However, sources close to Arbeloa have suggested that the contract is not just for this season.
Despite this, speculation has grown about Madrid considering alternatives to him. Names mentioned in the Spanish media include Enzo Maresca and Jurgen Klopp, who has distanced himself from the rumours.
After Wednesday’s Albacete defeat, a Madrid player told The Athletic that there had been a talk between Arbeloa and the squad the following day. He said the manager had not shown anger and “asked us to have confidence”.
A source involved in the day-to-day at Madrid’s training ground, said: “There is a good feeling between Arbeloa and the players. He is pushing them hard, but they are accepting it well.”
Meanwhile, all members of Alonso’s coaching staff have left the club — except for one. Jesus Rueda, who arrived in August as a set-piece specialist, will remain in the first team in another role. Alonso had a total of eight coaches working in his backroom staff. Arbeloa has six.
Is there any chance Real Madrid will now look to the transfer market?
The club’s stance has remained unchanged in recent weeks: no signings are expected because they do not see good options at a fair price in the winter window. They also believe that this squad is good enough to fight for every title until the end — although they have already been eliminated from the Copa del Rey.
Over the past week, there have been no signs that this outlook will change.
Additional reporting: Guillermo Rai