Arbeloa's growing dressing room divide

When results falter, tension inevitably rises, and dissenting voices begin to emerge from the inner sanctum. This season, off-field turbulence has become a recurring theme at Real Madrid. Much like the challenges faced by Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa now finds himself grappling with internal friction at a pivotal juncture of the campaign. This week, several media reports have shone a light on the growing discontent within the squad.

The spotlight first fell on Jude Bellingham. After returning from a muscle injury on 22 March, the Englishman saw limited action in the derby against Atletico before joining the England camp during the international break, where he did not feature. Upon his return to the club, the midfielder found himself benched for the clash with Mallorca—a decision that, according to 'El Chiringuito', irked the player and sparked friction with Arbeloa. His frustration was compounded when he was omitted from the starting line-up for the defeat to Bayern, despite his second-half introduction significantly galvanising the team.

Carvajal sidelined since the derby

Following the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, 'Marca' highlighted further issues, most notably concerning Dani Carvajal. The club captain has struggled to secure regular minutes since recovering from his second knee injury. In fact, he has not managed two consecutive starts since October 2024, prior to his initial injury against Villarreal. Consequently, the Madrid-born defender is reportedly deeply unsettled by his peripheral status.

Several factors have contributed to his marginalisation. His situation has shown little sign of improvement since a tense exchange with Pintus after he was left out against Valencia on 8 February. Relations reportedly soured further after he overstepped the mark during a training session ahead of the Osasuna defeat, an incident in which he injured Victor Valdepenas. Despite these grievances, he was handed a start in the derby, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who had been disciplined for unpunctuality.

However, despite a disciplined display against Atletico, Carvajal has vanished from the team sheet. He failed to feature for a single minute against Mallorca or Bayern Munich, as a resurgent Trent reclaimed his place. This is a testing period for the veteran captain, whose contract expires on 30 June, potentially marking the beginning of the end of his illustrious Real Madrid career.

Asencio's pointed response

The most recent case involves Raul Asencio. The centre-back is reportedly locked in a cold war with Alvaro Arbeloa after questioning the manager's decision to bench him against Manchester City. The Gran Canaria native had pushed himself to the limit to be fit for the Celta fixture following a heavy fall against Benfica, and was left frustrated when Huijsen, who had only just returned from his own injury, was preferred against Pep Guardiola's side. Despite the snub, the former Malaga man produced one of his finest performances in the famous white shirt when called upon.

The saga took another turn days later when Asencio visited Arbeloa's office accompanied by a doctor, claiming he could not play against Elche due to discomfort. This forced Antonio Rudiger, who was following a strict physical regimen to manage his workload, into an unexpected appearance. The manager responded by omitting Asencio from the squads for the return leg against City and the Atletico clash, reportedly because Asencio had failed to apologise to his teammates. After several missed opportunities to clear the air, he finally offered an apology before the Mallorca game, facilitating his return to the matchday squad.

Nevertheless, he remains without minutes, and on Thursday, Asencio offered a sharp response to fans enquiring about his absence, stating: "you'll have to ask Arbeloa about that". The defender later attempted to de-escalate the situation on social media, writing: "I don't understand why you're overthinking things. The manager is in charge; he picks and drops players. I have the utmost respect for him and all my teammates."