Álvaro Arbeloa has confirmed he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.
Former player Arbeloa exits the club after they fell short in their attempts to win LaLiga and the Champions League.
Barcelona claimed the Spanish title by winning the Clásico2-0 against Madrid, while Arbeloa’s team were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarterfinals by Bayern Munich.
Arbeloa had taken over in January after Xabi Alonso, who joined at the start of the season, was sacked.
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“I’m leaving Real Madrid with a great deal of gratitude towards my players,” he said.
“They’ve made me a better person, helped me enjoy every day, taught me a great deal, and made me a better manager today than I was on January 12. I’m also very grateful to the club president and [club general director] José Ángel [Sanchez] for the opportunity they’ve given me, and to everyone involved with the first team.
“I’m leaving Real Madrid feeling grateful because over the last eight years I’ve got to know the club better. I’ve worked with so many people and I’m leaving with many friends, feeling very happy, and I hope that one day I can return.
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“I hope it’s just a temporary farewell; I’ve always considered Madrid my home. I’ve been part of Real Madrid for 20 years — I’ll always considered it my home.”
Jose Mourinho has verbally agreed to rejoin Madrid and could be confirmed in the coming days, sources told ESPN.
Asked if he could be a part of Mourinho’s coaching staff, Arbeloa said: “I’m not here to talk about possibilities. As for Mourinho, he has a fantastic coaching staff, just as good as he is. He’s in excellent company. If he comes here to Real Madrid, he’ll bring his coaching staff with him, as he should. There’s no chance that I’ll be joining him.
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“I’ve spent the last four months not thinking about myself, but about Real Madrid and the next match. From Monday onwards, it’ll be time for me to think about what’s best for me. I look back a year ago, training with the youth team, the reserves, and a year later here I am. I’ve already made the leap; I’ve improved a great deal over these four months and I feel ready for new challenges. From Monday onwards, it’ll be time for me to think about them.”
Arbeloa said about his players: “I am very grateful to all of them for what we have been through over the last four months. I realise that with 25 people, you can’t have the same relationship with everyone. I’m sure that over these months we’ve had our differences, as is to be expected. I won’t be the first or the last. Any manager can have differences with his players, but I’ve always resolved them in the best possible way, and they’ve done the same with me.
“They’ve always shown me great respect, and I’ve tried to show them the same in return.”
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Arbeloa said about his successor: “I’m not one to give much advice. I’m sure whoever comes in as manager will be someone with a lot of experience. I don’t think there’s a manager in the world who hasn’t had a disagreement with his players at some point. It’s normal, especially in a dressing room like this. Everyone is incredibly keen to play.”
Information from Rodra and Alex Kirkland was used in this report.
