Alvaro Arbeloa takes charge of his first La Liga match after a humiliating Copa del Rey defeat to Albacete
Real Madrid sit second in the table, four points behind Barcelona, with Levante arriving unbeaten in three matches
Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Thibaut Courtois expected to return, while Kylian Mbappe remains a doubt
Real Madrid return to La Liga action on Saturday under intense pressure, with Alvaro Arbeloa facing his first league test as head coach after a bruising midweek exit from the Copa del Rey.
Promoted internally on Monday following the dismissal of Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa’s debut could hardly have gone worse, as a Madrid side packed with youngsters suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to second-division Albacete in the round of 16.
The fallout has been swift and unforgiving. Spanish daily Marca summed up the mood with a stark “Total Debacle” headline on Thursday, accompanied by an image of a visibly dejected Arbeloa.
The former Real Madrid right-back, known for his grit during a trophy-laden playing career, now finds himself confronting the harsh realities of management at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bernabeu Pressure Builds
Saturday’s La Liga Matchday 20 fixture against Levante looks straightforward on paper, with the visitors languishing in 18th place, five points from safety. However, Albacete were also expected to be routine opposition, despite sitting 17th in the 22-team Segunda Division standings.
Levante arrive in Madrid with confidence. The Valencia-based club are unbeaten in their last three matches, and their most recent away outing produced an emphatic 3-0 win at Sevilla, which marked a successful debut for new coach Luis Castro. That run offers belief that another upset is not beyond reach against a Madrid side reeling from consecutive defeats.
La Liga Matchday 20: Key Matches
Real Madrid begin the weekend second in the La Liga table, four points behind leaders Barcelona. The Catalans travel to face Real Sociedad on Sunday, with the Basque side unbeaten in two matches under American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo.
Elsewhere on Saturday, third-placed Villarreal visit Real Betis, trailing Madrid by four points but holding a game in hand. Los Verdiblancos have won just one of their last five league games, but are coming off the back of a 2-1 over Elche in Copa del Rey.
La Liga Matchday 20: Team News
Beyond the result itself, attention will be firmly fixed on Arbeloa’s decision-making. His selection choices against Albacete raised eyebrows, with Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Rodrygo omitted entirely from the squad.
Only Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde featured among the established starters, as Arbeloa leaned heavily on players he had previously coached in Madrid’s reserve setup.
A return to a more familiar XI is widely expected on Saturday. Bellingham and Tchouameni are likely to restore balance in midfield, while Thibaut Courtois could come back between the posts.
There remains uncertainty over Kylian Mbappe, who missed the Albacete match while continuing his recovery from a left knee sprain. The league’s top scorer has managed just one brief appearance this month, playing the final 15 minutes against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, Alonso’s final game in charge. Whether he will be cleared to face Levante remains unclear.
Arbeloa Accepts Responsibility
Speaking after the Copa defeat, Arbeloa took full responsibility for the result and acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead. He admitted the squad he inherited was well short of peak condition, physically and tactically.
“If anyone is responsible for this defeat it’s me, as I’m the one who made the decisions regarding the lineup, how we wanted to play, the changes,” Arbeloa said after the match. “I’m trying to get them (the players) back on their feet, both physically and mentally. We have to improve and go for Saturday’s game.”
“Physically, we have a lot of room for improvement and that’s what (fitness coach) Antonio (Pintus) is there for, to give us something extra,” he added. “We need to get back to our best footballing form for me and physically for Antonio, which I think we need.”
For Arbeloa, the echoes of Madrid’s past cup humiliations serve as a warning. The Spaniard was a part of the 4-0 defeat to fourth-tier Alcorcon in 2009, which has been termed “alcorconazo” in Spain.
Therefore, the upcoming match will be a test of Madrid’s ability to remain in title contention, hoping to end their silverware drought since Mbappe’s arrival two summers ago.
(With AP Inputs)
