The eagerly anticipated Champions League clash between Benfica and Real Madrid has been intensified by the pre-match comments of Jose Mourinho, who confirmed he has not offered any specific advice to his former player and current Los Blancos boss, Alvaro Arbeloa. The match at the Estadio da Luz is critical for both sides, with Benfica needing a win to keep their knockout stage hopes alive.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was said to have been told to 'find a new club' by interim Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa, having struggled to settle in Spain on the back of his 2025 move from Liverpool, but those reports have since been rubbished. The truth is now emerging, with the England international considered to still be an important part of Los Blancos’ plans.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has confessed that the club’s ongoing contract standoff with Vinicius Junior is completely out of his hands, despite expressing his desperate hope that the Brazilian superstar remains at the Bernabeu. The future of the Ballon d'Or contender remains uncertain, with the forward’s representatives currently in the capital, yet fresh speculation over a lucrative exit refuses to disappear.

Alvaro Arbeloa has navigated a turbulent start to life in the Real Madrid dugout, with details emerging of a significant tactical and cultural shift from the Xabi Alonso era. Reports from the Spanish capital reveal that the dressing room has responded positively to Arbeloa’s "direct" methods, while a hostile reception from the Bernabeu has had the unexpected consequence of uniting a fractured squad following their Copa del Rey humiliation.

Alvaro Arbeloa has hit out at Real Madrid fans for chanting against club president Florentino Perez in the team's 2-0 home win over Levante. Second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio saw Arbeloa mark his first home game as Real Madrid boss with victory, having succeeded Xabi Alonso in the Spanish capital last week.