Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has refuted claims of a strained relationship with club captain Dani Carvajal, following Carvajal’s omission from the squad against Alaves. Despite Arbeloa’s assertions, reports indicate a significant disconnect between the two, allegedly present from the very beginning of their professional interaction.
Carvajal, who returned to full fitness in January, has seen limited game time under Arbeloa, with Trent Alexander-Arnold often being favored. Arbeloa stated on Thursday that the decision to leave out either player was difficult and not indicative of any personal issues with Carvajal.
“Relationship Has Not Been Good Since Day One”
According to journalist Jorge Picon, the discord between Arbeloa and Carvajal dates back to the early stages of Arbeloa’s managerial tenure. Carvajal reportedly feels that his manager’s selection choices have been unfair, jeopardizing his chances of representing Spain in the World Cup. Conversely, Arbeloa believes Alexander-Arnold is currently performing better and suggests Carvajal could have handled his substitute and captain roles more effectively.
This tension has reportedly surfaced before, with peace discussions held in March yielding little improvement. Earlier this season, as reported by The Athletic, Carvajal had taken Arbeloa’s place in the team when they were teammates at Real Madrid, hinting at a long-standing dynamic. Cadena SER also supports the notion that their relationship is “not the best.”
Carvajal’s Training Struggles
The Athletic further suggests that Carvajal has faced difficulties keeping pace with dynamic forwards like Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe during training sessions. This perceived performance gap, according to Arbeloa’s viewpoint, makes the selection of Alexander-Arnold the more justifiable choice based on merit.
While it is acknowledged that the 34-year-old Carvajal has not consistently impressed in the latter half of the season, and Alexander-Arnold has offered significant attacking contributions, Carvajal’s limited playing time has arguably hindered his ability to regain peak match fitness.
