Former Real Madrid defender Iván Helguera has openly criticized the club’s decision to appoint Álvaro Arbeloa as first-team coach following the midseason dismissal of Xabi Alonso, arguing that the situation required a far more experienced manager.
Speaking on Iker Casillas’ podcast, Helguera questioned whether Arbeloa was adequately prepared to take over a team already engulfed in tension, instability, and mounting pressure.
Real Madrid’s decision to sack Alonso earlier this season came amid poor results,
dressing-room unrest, and growing concerns about the team’s direction. In response, the club turned to Arbeloa — a respected figure within Valdebebas and a coach who had previously earned praise for his work in the academy setup.
But Helguera believes the circumstances surrounding the first team made the promotion too risky.
“If you sack Xabi Alonso, you need to have an experienced coach ready to deal with all of this,” Helguera said.
The former Madrid defender suggested the club underestimated the difficulty of stepping into such a volatile environment midway through the season.
“I think Raúl, for example, would have handled it much better,” he added.
“Suddenly you bring in a guy who’s never coached in the top flight,” Helguera said. “I don’t think Arbeloa is the right person for a situation like this.”
The criticism is less about Arbeloa’s long-term potential and more about timing.
Helguera repeatedly emphasized that Real Madrid are not a club that can afford experimentation during moments of crisis — especially when the dressing room itself appears fractured.
“Real Madrid can’t improvise on the bench in such delicate moments.”
Raúl, whom Helguera specifically mentioned, continues to be viewed by many within Madridismo as a more natural transition candidate due to his precious experience with Castilla but more importantly his stature within the club. The former captain has spent years developing as a coach within the Real Madrid structure and has frequently been discussed as a future first-team manager. Though, it’s also clear that Raul is not currently being seriously considered as Florentino Perez is looking at Jose Mourinho as his preferred option.
