Dani Ceballos and Real Madrid’s Internal Struggles
A recent incident involving Dani Ceballos has sparked significant attention within the Real Madrid camp. The midfielder reportedly informed Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa not to contact him after a heated confrontation at the club’s training ground. This development comes amid growing tensions between Ceballos and the coaching staff, raising questions about his future at the club.
Ceballos had requested a meeting with Arbeloa last week, following his lack of appearances since returning from injury in April. According to reports, the meeting turned out to be an “unpleasant face-to-face encounter,” with existing tensions between the two escalating further. After the meeting, Ceballos reportedly told his teammates that he had asked Arbeloa not to reach out again.
The fallout from this incident was immediate. Ceballos was left out of Real Madrid’s matchday squad for their game against Real Betis last Friday, where the team conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw. This result saw Real Madrid drop more points, allowing Barcelona to move closer to securing their second consecutive LaLiga title after defeating Getafe the following day.
Despite being excluded from the squad, Ceballos is expected to continue training with his teammates until the end of the season. However, he will not feature in the final five league matches of the campaign. Real Madrid reportedly believe that Ceballos intentionally created the conflict with Arbeloa to justify his lack of playing time and to position himself for a potential move at the end of the season.
Ceballos currently has one year remaining on his contract with Real Madrid. He previously turned down a move to Marseille last summer, despite interest from Real Betis. The club is now seen as a likely destination for the 29-year-old, who began his professional career with them before moving to Real Madrid in 2017.
This controversy comes at a time when expectations are mounting that Arbeloa will be replaced as Real Madrid manager at the end of the season. Arbeloa has been in charge of the first team since being promoted from the B-team following Xabi Alonso’s sacking in January. Under his leadership, Real Madrid have won 14 matches, drawn two, and suffered seven defeats. The club has also been eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich, marking a difficult season overall.
Real Madrid are now set to finish the season without any major trophies for the second consecutive year. Reports suggest that Jose Mourinho is Florentino Perez’s preferred candidate to replace Arbeloa. Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, guiding the club to one LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.
The 63-year-old is currently in charge of Benfica, having returned to the Portuguese club in September after a 25-year absence. Since his return, Benfica have remained unbeaten in the league, although they are seven points behind leaders Porto. To secure Mourinho’s services, Real Madrid would need to pay £2.6 million to activate a release clause in his contract, which runs until 2027.
Daily Mail Sport understands that Benfica have not yet received any formal approach from Real Madrid regarding Mourinho. However, it is believed that the former manager would be open to a return. Despite this, the club is cautious about the potential backlash from fans, particularly after the negative reaction to their Champions League clash with Real Madrid in February.
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