“I won’t throw my players under the bus,” says Arbeloa, as the club’s internal crisis deepens.
Real Madrid head into El Clásico at the worst possible time — not just due to disappointing results and poor performances. The team has taken on an air of self-destruction, with their biggest adversary no longer on the pitch but staring back from the mirror. The May 10 showdown feels like a test where Madrid has everything to lose and little to gain, a perfect stage to measure how far the project has unraveled in recent months.
Mbappé is enduring his toughest spell at Real Madrid.
/ Dennis Agyeman / AFP7 / Europa Press
A fractured locker room with too much influence
What’s happening around the team cannot be understood without looking inside. Real Madrid’s dressing room has amassed power to the point of becoming a decisive factor in club decisions. Xabi Alonso’s departure was the clearest example, but not the only one. Tensions with various coaches, incidents of indiscipline, and a sense that no one has imposed a clear hierarchy depict a group that is increasingly difficult to manage. Arbeloa chose to yield, but it hasn’t worked. The situation has worsened significantly in recent days. The clash between Tchouameni and Fede Valverde confirms the deterioration of relationships among players. The financial penalty imposed by the club feels far too lenient for such a serious episode, highlighting a lack of firm governance.
Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa have had conflicts with parts of the squad.
/ Sport
Mbappé in the crosshairs
For months, the debate revolved around Vinicius, the style of play, or even squad planning. That has now changed. The focus is on Kylian Mbappé, who is experiencing his most delicate moment since arriving at Real Madrid. The rift with the fans is evident, but more significantly, the friction doesn’t stop there. The noise has reached the dressing room and the club’s top brass. Reports about his attitude, privileges, and distance from parts of the squad have built an increasingly uncomfortable atmosphere.
Kylian Mbappé after losing the Supercopa to Barcelona.
/ Kai Försterling / EFE
His trip during a sporting crisis and arrival in Madrid minutes before a match only reinforce the sense of disconnection. Mbappé continues to produce star-level numbers, but he no longer controls the narrative — something curious for someone who has always managed his communication and surroundings with surprising precision.
Vinicius and a stalled renewal
Meanwhile, the club faces another open front. Vinicius’s renewal remains unresolved, and the situation is getting more tense than usual. The Brazilian, expected to be one of the project’s central figures, is approaching a dangerous contractual zone while his partnership with Mbappé continues to raise more questions than answers.
Vinicius celebrates one of his goals against Espanyol.
/ Quique García / EFE
Two offensive leaders, two constant centers of attention, and a coexistence that hasn’t translated into functional teamwork on the pitch. The debate is tactical but also structural. Madrid has full confidence in renewing the number 7, but his entourage expects the club to take the lead in negotiations again. Faith in the trident formed by Vinicius, Mbappé, and Bellingham is shaken but still alive. However, a third year without major titles could be devastating. The pressure next season will be even greater.
Florentino, the model, and the next step
Amid all this turmoil, Florentino Pérez’s figure is once again exposed. The president remains the axis of the project, but the context is demanding decisions that go beyond routine management.
