‘Direct and approachable' - Inside Real Madrid dressing room as differences between Alvaro Arbeloa & sacked Xabi Alonso revealed

It has been a whirlwind period for Arbeloa since taking the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu. His tenure began in disastrous fashion with a shock Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Albacete, a result that immediately placed the new manager under the microscope. However, following a vital league win over Levante and a morale-boosting Champions League thrashing of Monaco, the mood inside the camp has shifted dramatically.

According to reports from Cadena SER, the turning point for the squad was not a tactical tweak, but the visceral reaction of the supporters. The heavy whistles and jeers that rained down from the stands on Saturday during the clash against Levante had an "unexpected effect" on the players.

In the immediate aftermath of the Albacete defeat, the atmosphere at Valdebebas was described as "cold" and defined by a "relative silence," with players retreating into individualism. However, the public judgment from the fans acted as a catalyst for cohesion. Sources from inside the dressing room suggest that by the time the Monaco fixture arrived on Wednesday, the dynamic had changed; the players were no longer fighting individual battles but had circled the wagons to protect the group, effectively uniting against the external noise.

Arbeloa has arrived with a clear identity that appears to be resonating with the heavyweights of the dressing room. The report describes the Salamanca-born coach as "direct, approachable and with clear concepts." His management style is heavily centralised, placing the burden of communication squarely on his own shoulders.

Unlike many modern coaching setups where assistant managers play a vocal role in daily drills, Arbeloa’s backroom staff have taken a step back. While they are responsible for the meticulous preparation of training sessions, they rarely speak directly to the players during practice.

Instead, it is Arbeloa who takes charge of all explanations, motivation and tactical instructions. This single voice approach has provided clarity for a squad that appeared to be drifting, ensuring there is no confusion regarding what is expected on the pitch. The players now look to one figure for direction, a move that seems to have simplified the daily routine at the training ground.

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The shift in style is particularly stark when compared to the methods of his predecessor, Alonso. While the former Bayer Leverkusen boss and his staff were highly regarded as professionals, their approach was described as "incisive" and "interventionist."

Under Alonso, the coaching staff were incredibly hands-on, often at the request of the manager himself. Players were subjected to lengthy video analysis sessions, followed immediately by training drills designed to recreate the specific scenarios shown on screen. While the intent was to achieve tactical perfection, the relentless nature of the instruction reportedly wore down the squad.

Cadena SER notes that while the players spoke highly of Alonso’s staff’s quality, they found them "a tad insistent for what this group was used to." The constant micromanagement and intervention from multiple voices has now been replaced by Arbeloa’s more streamlined method. The removal of that "insistence" appears to have liberated the players, allowing for a fresher mental approach to matches.

The impact of these changes is already visible in the results. The squad has managed to right the ship after a "very difficult week," with the victory over Monaco placing them within touching distance of the Champions League top eight.

However, Arbeloa is well aware that the scars from the Albacete debacle are still fresh. The sentiment from the dressing room is that "the pitch must speak" in the coming days. Real Madrid face two stern tests in quick succession: a trip to Villarreal on Saturday followed by a clash in Lisbon on Wednesday.

Despite the short timeframe, the emotional intensity of the last fortnight has warped the perception of time at the club. As one source from the dressing room concluded: "From what they lived through last Wednesday to Saturday, compared to what was lived from Sunday to today, it seems like more time has passed than just a few days." For Arbeloa, the hope is that this intense period has forged a unity that will sustain his tenure for the long haul.