Alvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave Real Madrid after the club’s final match of the season against Athletic Bilbao, making it clear there is “no chance” he will work under Jose Mourinho when the Portuguese returns to the Bernabeu.
Alvaro Arbeloa knew the season was reaching its end the moment Real Madrid turned their attention to Saturday’s final game against Athletic Bilbao. By the time he spoke about what comes next, it wasn’t a vague hint of change—it was a clear confirmation of his exit.
Arbeloa said it would be his last match as Madrid’s head coach, insisting he doesn’t even know whether it will be the final chapter of his life in the role. “It’s my last game this season; I don’t know if it’s the last of my life as Madrid’s coach – we never know. I’ll try to enjoy it.”
His departure lands amid Jose Mourinho’s imminent return to the club, with Arbeloa positioning himself in the most decisive way possible about the next step. He believes Mourinho should come with his own team, but he also made it plain he won’t be part of it.
“Mourinho has a fantastic coaching staff; he’s surrounded by great people. If he comes, he’ll bring his own team, as he should. There’s no chance I’ll be joining him.”
The timing of Arbeloa’s message matters. He replaced Xabi Alonso in January. stepping into a club with pressure already baked in—and now he’s walking away before Mourinho takes over again. “I’ve spent the last four months thinking about Madrid; from now on, it’s time to think about myself. I’ve taken the leap, and I feel ready for new challenges.”.
The contrast inside the same club has been sharp all season. Arbeloa is a supporter of Mourinho’s controversial re-appointment, having played under him between 2010 and 2013. Yet the people closest to the coaching picture are already breaking in different directions.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of the current Benfica manager since Mourinho’s first spell at the Bernabeu. and the relationship has stayed close in the years since. Mourinho’s contract is believed to run until the summer of 2028. and it is expected to include an option to extend by a further year.
For Arbeloa, the question isn’t whether Mourinho can return—it’s whether he will be part of that setup. He insists Mourinho’s own staff is central to the move, and he frames his decision as a clean break rather than an uncomfortable coexistence.
The backdrop to Arbeloa’s exit is the kind of turbulent season that leaves scars. Mourinho steps into what has been described as a crisis club after a campaign shaped by in-fighting between players, an early Champions League exit, and Barcelona accelerating away to win the LaLiga title.
Within that atmosphere, Casillas has been among the most vocal objectors. The club legend. dropped as No 1 goalkeeper by Mourinho during his first spell. posted on X: “I have no problem with Mourinho. I think he’s a great professional. I just don’t want him at Real Madrid.” Casillas added: “I believe other coaches would be better suited to manage the club I love. That’s just my personal opinion. Nothing more”.
Arbeloa, for his part, has taken a different view about Mourinho’s return. Last week, he said: “For me, as a player and a Real Madrid fan, I think Mourinho is number one. I thought that a month ago when we played him in the Champions League (with Benfica). and I’ll continue to think it. Jose is, and always will be, ‘one of us’. If he’s here next season, I’ll be very happy to see him back home.”.
So the story that begins in Arbeloa’s final match this weekend is also a story about loyalties splintering at the same club — admiration on one side, resistance on the other, and a new coaching era that will begin without the man who replaced Alonso just months ago.
Real Madrid Alvaro Arbeloa Jose Mourinho Athletic Bilbao Xabi Alonso Florentino Perez Casillas Benfica LaLiga Champions League coaching staff