Arbeloa's Green Shoots: Madrid's Midfield Maestro Shuffle Pays Off
How Álvaro Arbeloa's bold midfield changes transformed Real Madrid's performance against Levante, offering hope after a turbulent period at the Bernabéu.
After weeks of midfield malaise and a toxic Bernabéu atmosphere, Álvaro Arbeloa’s tactical tweaks finally brought some proper football back to the Spanish capital.
Madrid’s Midfield Muddle
One of Real Madrid’s biggest headaches this season has been their inability to control matches from the middle of the park. The Tchouaméni-Camavinga double pivot that Xabi Alonso favoured simply wasn’t cutting the mustard, allowing opponents not just to compete but often dominate proceedings.
This midfield mess reached its nadir in the Supercopa, where Alonso’s tactics against Atlético – involving nearly 40 long balls from Courtois – particularly ruffled feathers among the club’s top brass. Despite potentially winning, the approach was seen as beneath Madrid’s dignity, accelerating Xabi’s departure.
Arbeloa’s Bold Decisions
After an unconvincing start against Albacete with academy product Cestero in midfield, Arbeloa initially reverted to the Tchouaméni-Camavinga partnership against Levante. The result? An absolutely dog’s dinner of a first half that had the Bernabéu faithful on their backs.
But here’s where things get interesting. Arbeloa showed he’s got some serious bottle:
- Hooked the struggling Camavinga, who was having a proper mare
- Shifted Gonzalo from the right wing when Mbappé returned
- Introduced Güler and Mastantuono in their places
The improvement was immediate and dramatic. The Turkish maestro Güler was particularly influential, playing a key role in both goals:
- Finding Mbappé in space, leading to the penalty for the opener
- Delivering a peach of a set-piece for Asencio to head home the second
Further Fine-Tuning
Arbeloa wasn’t finished there. Fifteen minutes into the second half, he yanked off the underperforming Huijsen and brought on the forgotten man Dani Ceballos – who hadn’t seen a minute at Albacete.
Ceballos slotted into the base of midfield while Tchouaméni dropped back to centre-half. This stroke of genius gave Madrid much-needed clarity in possession and solidified their defence, allowing them to control the remainder of the match with ease.
Signs of Life
By addressing the team’s fundamental problem – the lack of quality in midfield – Arbeloa’s changes proved a right Bobby Dazzler. Not only did Madrid secure three vital points, but they showed marked improvement across all phases of play.
This decisive intervention has helped keep Los Blancos in the title hunt while calming the heated atmosphere at the Bernabéu following Alonso’s dismissal. Tuesday’s European Cup fixture should now take place in a more relaxed environment – or at least that’s the hope.