Did Real Madrid back the wrong man? Alvaro Arbeloa not 'the right guy' for the job as club legend names alternative option after 'hasty' Xabi Alonso sacking

Helguera expressed a firm belief that Alonso deserved significantly more patience from the board, noting that despite some tactical reservations, the team possessed a solid foundation that should have been granted more time to flourish before the axe was swung by the club leadership. He argued that a fair evaluation of the squad’s true potential under the former Bayer Leverkusen boss should have been reserved until much later in the season.

Helguera is adamant that the timeline for evaluating Alonso was unfairly short, suggesting the club panicked during a difficult run of form rather than trusting the long-term process. The Spaniard’s tenure ended by mutual consent on January 12, just a day after a narrow 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final, a stint also overshadowed by reported tactical disputes with Vinicius Junior. 

Helguera said: “I think they should have waited until February or March to judge. By then, we would have seen how the team was really doing. They were too hasty in sacking Xabi Alonso."

The appointment of Arbeloa has also been met with scepticism, with Helguera pointing to a significant lack of experience at the highest level. He added: “It’s absurd. Arbeloa had never coached in La Liga, and on the day he was promoted, he’d lost 4-1 with Castilla."

Helguera also took aim at Real's decision to snub club legend Raul, who spent six years as manager of the club's Castilla side after a glittering playing career at the Bernabeu. He added: “Raul would have handled this better because he’s been captain and has lived through these situations. I don’t think Arbeloa was the right guy."