According to AS and Cadena Cope, a crisis meeting took place at Real Madrid between interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa and the squad. It happened after the defeat to Getafe. Meanwhile, in Italy, AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is being put forward as a possible successor to Arbeloa.
Real Madrid’s turbulent run of form has reportedly sparked serious internal discussions at Valdebebas, with Spanish outlets claiming a crisis meeting was held between interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa and the senior players following the home defeat to Getafe.
The gathering is said to have been aimed at clearing the air, restoring unity in the dressing room, and setting clear expectations for what remains of a season that is suddenly threatening to drift away from them.
According to reports, Arbeloa’s central message was one of protection rather than confrontation. He is said to have told the squad that he does not hold individual players responsible for the team’s slide after suffering two league defeats in a row. Real were beaten by Osasuna at the end of February and then slipped again on Monday, losing at the Bernabéu to Getafe in a result that intensified pressure on everyone involved. Even so, while Arbeloa allegedly avoided pointing fingers, he is also said to have raised the intensity level of his demands, urging the players to make an extra effort in the final phase of the season and to show greater consistency in decisive moments.
The context makes those demands understandable. With twelve league games still to play, Real remain within touching distance of the top but have lost the margin for error. The gap to leaders Barcelona stands at four points, meaning any further stumble could quickly become costly, especially with fixture congestion and injuries likely to play a role down the stretch. Real’s next assignment comes quickly, with Celta de Vigo visiting in La Liga in two days, a match that now carries added weight as both a points requirement and a test of the squad’s response.
Europe offers no respite either. In the Champions League, Real are preparing for a high-stakes round of 16 tie against Manchester City over two legs, exactly the kind of elite matchup where uncertainty around form and leadership can be ruthlessly exposed. The Copa del Rey has already been removed from the equation, with Los Blancos having been knocked out earlier this calendar year by Albacete, a setback that increased scrutiny of the team’s direction and amplified the sense that the season is narrowing down to a fight on two fronts.
Against that backdrop, Spanish media are increasingly sceptical that Arbeloa, despite his status as a former player and his reputation within the club, will remain head coach after the campaign. The belief is that the club hierarchy views the current arrangement as a stopgap, and that the recent results have only strengthened the likelihood of a change in the dugout once the season ends.
In Italy, the discussion has already moved toward potential successors. Massimiliano Allegri is being presented by Italian outlets as a leading candidate to take over at the Bernabéu, with the argument that his experience managing high-pressure dressing rooms and navigating title races could help get Real back on track. Allegri, 58, is currently in charge of AC Milan and remains under contract until mid 2027, which would make any move complex and potentially expensive. Still, Corriere dello Sport has pushed the story prominently, suggesting Real see him as a coach capable of quickly stabilising the team and producing results.
Real’s reported shortlist does not stop there. The club are also said to be considering whether a move for Jürgen Klopp is even remotely feasible. Klopp, who previously coached Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, is now working as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull. While that role places him outside day to day club management, his name continues to carry enormous weight in elite European circles, and the mere mention of him underlines how seriously Real may be thinking about a major reset.
For now, however, the immediate focus remains on results. The meeting with the players is being framed as an attempt to ensure the squad closes ranks, increases its competitive edge, and approaches the run in with the urgency required at a club where any sign of stagnation is treated as unacceptable. The next few fixtures, starting with Celta and then the looming Champions League tie, are likely to determine not only Real’s season, but also the direction of their managerial future.
Updated: 11:18, 4 Mar 2026
