Having replaced Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid’s head coach, Álvaro Arbeloa won’t have long to wait to make his debut.
On Monday, Madrid announced Arbeloa’s appointment as the Spanish giants’ new first-team boss, in a statement issued just minutes after the club confirmed Alonso’s exit. A former Madrid player like Alonso, Arbeloa steps up from his previous role as boss of Castilla, the club’s ‘B’ team. The 42-year-old had taken charge of Castilla in May, having been promoted to Madrid’s second team from the club’s Under-19s.
When is Arbeloa’s debut as Real Madrid boss?
Arbeloa’s first game as Madrid’s new head coach will come this Wednesday, Jan. 14, when Los Blancos take on second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey, Spain’s major men’s cup competition. The last-16 clash at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. local time; in the U.S., that translates into a 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT kickoff.
Madrid’s first LaLiga game under Arbeloa is on Saturday, Jan. 17. On matchday 20 of the Spanish league season, Los Merengues host Levante at the Estadio Bernabéu, at 2:00 p.m. local time (11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT). Madrid head into next weekend’s LaLiga games sitting second in the table, four points behind leaders Barcelona.
Xabi out after Super Cup loss
Arbeloa’s promotion to the Madrid first team comes just seven months on from the club’s appointment of Alonso. In all, Alonso lasted only 34 games as Los Merengues’ head coach; his final game was Sunday’s 3-2 Spanish Super Cup final defeat to arch rivals Barça.
In a statement announcing Alonso’s departure, Madrid said the decision had been made “by mutual agreement” with the 44-year-old. “Xabi Alonso will always carry the affection and admiration of all Madridistas because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home,” the club said.