Arbeloa sat in the wrong seat at the Bernabeu

It is truly regrettable that Real Madrid has taken another step on the path of collapse in La Liga. This is a disappointing setback for a collective that possesses great stars and immense pride.

"There are still 36 points to fight for, no one here will give up. The 4-point gap is one we believe can be closed. We will strive and fight because we are Real Madrid," Alvaro Arbeloa declared with a new slogan for this difficult moment, as the team hits rock bottom once again. An undeserved defeat, but the La Liga title is still within reach, according to the 43-year-old coach's reasoning. This is because he found no fault with his own players and criticized Getafe for playing ugly football under the "tolerance" of the main referee.

The loss to Getafe once again proves that Arbeloa lacks the capability to lead the greatest club in football history. He cannot manage a squad full of big personalities and quality that always demands the highest standards. A man struggling at Castilla is unlikely to become a second Zidane for the team.

President Florentino Perez had a long period of time to rectify the "conduct" of the dressing room. But he chose the easiest path, which was to dismiss Xabi Alonso and install Arbeloa in that position to please the players. Now it seems the 43-year-old coach is truly burying the entire season. The team was eliminated in Arbeloa's very first official match in the Copa del Rey. Afterwards came the agony of having to enter the Champions League playoffs.

That is a failure at the overall strategic level, and if all the tactical mistakes made by Arbeloa were listed, Madridistas would need a whole page to describe the inexperience and lack of composure of this former right-back.

Real is the worst attacking team among the top clubs. There are never forwards in the penalty area because, according to Arbeloa, the team must ensure defense. Against Getafe, the coach once highly rated for his work with the youth team made a major mistake by attacking only with forwards while lacking connection from the entire system. It seems he does not know what to do with the players at his disposal.

"I have no right to make those assessments," Arbeloa replied bluntly and decisively when asked about the team's progress since replacing his former teammate. Arbeloa's Real has lost 4 matches out of 12 against Albacete, Benfica, Osasuna, and Getafe. In 28 matches, Xabi Alonso's Real achieved 20 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses against Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Man City, Celta Vigo, and Barcelona.

Clearly, the near future of the Galacticos is very bleak. A thick fog is shrouding Arbeloa and Real, resembling a team without a soul, lacking vitality, unaware of what is happening internally, with no way to overcome the constraints and serious personnel issues.

Look at what remains of the season. A team on the brink of collapse, lacking Mbappe's goals which had masked the collective mediocrity this season, but at least there was still some light. The worst part is that the boos at the Bernabeu will ring out again when Arbeloa stands on the touchline, and perhaps even the club president will have to endure the same.