There was no way Real Madrid could go through this sporting crisis quietly. It was only a matter of time before one of the many leaks turned into a full-blown scandal. And now, it finally has.
Xabi Alonso was dismissed in January and, a few days later, the Spanish club promoted Alvaro Arbeloa from the academy setup in what initially looked like a temporary fix. Then came the surprise — the club gave Arbeloa a contract that could extend beyond this season depending on results.
Well, about that.
Since Arbeloa took over, Madrid has been eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a minor rival, knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, lost El Clasico 2-0 to Barcelona last Sunday while watching their biggest rival celebrate the LaLiga title right in front of them, dealt with dressing-room leaks, injury diagnosis controversies, reports of players not respecting the manager, and an outright fistfight between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni that reportedly left Valverde hospitalized.
Arbeloa's response? He said these things happen in every dressing room and claimed that, during his playing days, teammates used to hit each other with golf clubs. Incredible. Truly incredible.
So now, with the season collapsing in spectacular fashion, the question is who is crazy enough to walk into this ego war?
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Who Will Be Real Madrid's Next Manager?
Jose Mourinho
Of course, the number one option is Jose Mourinho.
When Real Madrid starts feeling unstable, Florentino Perez always seems to circle back to the "bring in the guy who enjoys the fire (and occasionally throws a little more gasoline on it)" idea.
Kalshi has Mourinho comfortably leading this market, and honestly, it makes sense. The squad already has enough talent, so a tactical innovator is not really needed. What they do need is someone who can walk into a dressing room full of superstars and immediately establish authority. That's Mourinho's entire brand.
His first stint in Madrid between 2010 and 2013 was chaotic, exhausting, controversial … and successful. He won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup while building one of the nastiest, most competitive versions of Madrid we've seen in the modern era.
And let's be real, Madrid's current squad looks like it needs that kind of personality again.
Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps is sitting way behind Mourinho in the market, but still hanging around as the "serious adult" option. The logic is pretty obvious.
Deschamps has spent more than a decade managing France, which basically means he has a PhD in handling superstar egos, media pressure, national drama, and impossible expectations. So yes, on paper, he fits.
He's a World Cup-winning manager, has strong relationships with the French players already inside Madrid's dressing room (Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy), speaks Spanish, and will become available after the 2026 World Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino
And because this is modern soccer, Mauricio Pochettino somehow appears in this conversation too.
At this point, Pochettino rumors feel like the safest headline in soccer media. If a big club has uncertainty around its manager, Pochettino's name automatically shows up within 48 hours. When in doubt, just link the Argentinian and call it a day.
Real Madrid has reportedly considered him internally, and sure, the profile fits. He has experience managing stars, Champions League pedigree, Premier League background, and enough personality to survive a club this demanding.
But realistically, this one feels colder. Pochettino is fully locked into the United States National Team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and despite constantly being linked everywhere, he has repeatedly insisted his focus remains on the USMNT.
Still, Madrid is Madrid. And when the biggest club in the world calls, people listen. Even Pochettino hasn't completely shut the door.
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