Arbeloa's Castilla crew crash out in Copa calamity
No excuses for the Real Madrid legend as his managerial debut ends in disappointment despite fielding a mix of reserves and academy players.
A night to forget for Álvaro Arbeloa as his managerial bow with Real Madrid Castilla ended in Copa del Rey disappointment.
No excuses
Let’s be honest, there’s simply no excuse for this performance, no matter how you slice it. Yes, it was Arbeloa’s debut in the dugout. Yes, half the first team stayed at home. And yes, the starting eleven featured a healthy sprinkling of Castilla youngsters. But this is still Real Madrid we’re talking about.
What’s particularly baffling is the apparent lack of interest shown in a competition that could have provided some silverware come the end of the season. For a club where the Champions League and La Liga might prove challenging this campaign, the Copa represented a genuine opportunity.
Strange selections
Arbeloa’s team selection raised eyebrows from the off, but his substitutions proved even more perplexing. The balance never looked right, with the mix of first-team reserves and academy products failing to gel into a cohesive unit.
The former Madrid defender, adored by the Bernabéu faithful during his playing days, will need to learn quickly from this setback. Football management is a different kettle of fish to playing, and tonight showed just how steep that learning curve can be.
Learning experience
For the Castilla lads, this will be a harsh but valuable lesson in what’s required at the highest level. The pressure of representing the first team, even in a rotated squad, clearly weighed heavily.
The gaffer himself will need to have a proper butcher’s hook at what went wrong here. His tactical approach lacked clarity, and the players seemed uncertain of their roles throughout much of the contest.