Despite the Disastrous Season With Real Madrid, Álvaro Arbeloa Could End Up a Champion

The Castilla is the last hope

While Real Madrid in the first division is going thru a year to forget, its reserve team, Castilla, is one step away from writing a golden page. Under the initial leadership of Álvaro Arbeloa, and with Julián López de Lerma in charge in the final stages, the young Madrid team will compete this Tuesday in the final of the Premier League International Cup against Borussia Dortmund at the Adams Park stadium in High Wycombe, England.

The journey to the final was intense. In the quarter-finals, Castilla made a statement at Old Trafford, overturned an adverse result, and ended up winning in extra time, with goals from Castrelo, Bruno, Barroso, and Mesonero. In the semifinals, with López de Lerma already on the bench, the whites eliminated Dinamo Zagreb thanks to the goals of Diego Aguado and Bruno. Dortmund, the rival in the final, also arrives with credentials after overcoming Real Sociedad.

Arbeloa's influence

The group stage had marked the beginning of the dream. Arbeloa guided Castilla to a second place in Group A, with victories against Wolves and Everton, as well as draws against Manchester City and Southampton. That performance allowed them to advance and keep alive the hope of winning a European title.

The Premier League International Cup, created in 2014, pits the best English academies against leading European affiliates. Porto is the most successful club with two titles, while Nottingham Forest was the last champion. Manchester City and Villarreal also appear in the winners' history.

Last hope

For Arbeloa, lifting this trophy would mean closing a season that seemed doomed to failure with a tangible achievement. Although the first team was left without titles, the man from Salamanca could boast of having guided the reserve team to continental glory. A victory that could give him a boost and prestige in his path as a coach.

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