Spanish coach Alvaro Arbeloa took charge of Real Madrid less than a month ago, succeeding Xabi Alonso on January 13. His start on the bench for the Kings was far from easy – Real lost to Albacete on his debut and were eliminated from the Copa del Rey.
However, after that difficult start, Arbeloa has led the team to five wins and a surprising defeat to Benfica in the Champions League, which sent Real out of the last 8 and forced them to seek a path to the last 16 via the play-offs.
A comparison of photos of the coach from the beginning and end of this month shows that the stress has left its mark, according to the Spanish newspaper The Snack, Arbeloa has lost significant weight, and the change is clearly visible on his face.
However, the biggest challenges are yet to come, as the season enters a crucial phase with the conclusion of La Liga and the Champions League matches approaching.
Real Madrid's next game is against Real Sociedad on Thursday, while next week they face a play-off clash against Benfica. The first leg in Lisbon will be played on Tuesday, with the return leg on February 25 at the Bernabeu stadium.
Currently, Real Madrid are one point behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga, making the title race tougher than ever, and the pressure on Arbeloa is only increasing. /Telegraph/
