Arbeloa's Real Madrid Reboot: A Fresh Chapter Starts at Valdebebas
13 January 2026
Arbeloa's Official Real Madrid Era Opens at Valdebebas
Real Madrid's training ground, Valdebebas, opened a new official chapter today as the team began under coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over from Xabi Alonso following their split after the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona.
First Training Session and Key Figures
In his first session with the first team, Arbeloa, who previously led Real Madrid Castilla, addressed a short message to the players in the locker room before moving to the pitch for light drills and conditioning, ahead of facing Albacete in the Copa del Rey last-16.
Pintus Returns, Set to Shape the Regime
A video published by ElDesmarque documented the details of this new start, with Italian fitness coach Antonio Pintus at the forefront leading warm-ups and early runs, a strong return for the famed fitness coach, whose name is linked to some of the club's most successful periods, during which five Champions League titles were won.
The video also shows a long exchange between Pintus and Arbeloa on the pitch, indicating Pintus's approach will be a cornerstone of the coming phase.
Staff, Focus and Squad
Arbeloa appeared serious and focused throughout the session, relying heavily on his Castilla-based staff, led by Leon Carmona as the assistant for the physical side and Francisco Sanchez as the tactical analyst.
On the player side, several stars were absent, led by Kylian Mbappe, continuing his recovery from a knee injury after limited involvement in the Super Cup, along with Rodrigo, Rudiger, Militao and Alexander-Arnold.
Meanwhile, several Castilla players trusted by Arbeloa took part, such as Manuel Ángel, Seistero, David Jiménez, Juan Martínez and Palacios.
