Mbappé Gives Arbeloa Some Encouraging News Amid Real Madrid’s Crisis
After being eliminated in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey by Albacete (3–2), in what was his official debut as head coach of Real Madrid, Álvaro Arbeloa led a training session on Thursday with some positive news for the squad.
Arbeloa regains key players
The coach was once again able to count on Frenchmen Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, as well as Englishman Jude Bellingham, who did not feature in the cup match in order to manage their workload.
Mbappé, who played the final 15 minutes of last Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final—another setback for the Spanish giants—continues his recovery from a left knee sprain, an injury that forced him to miss the first two matches of 2026 as well as the game in Albacete.
Tchouaméni and Bellingham also did not take part in that match, a decision made by the coaching staff to carefully manage minutes during a demanding season.
Meanwhile, Rodrygo Goes and Antonio Rüdiger, both dealing with discomfort in their left knees, completed individual training sessions. According to club sources, the plan is for them to rejoin the group on Friday and be available for Saturday’s match against Levante at the Santiago Bernabéu.
For that fixture, Arbeloa will be without several key players:
- Ferland Mendy, sidelined with muscular issues following the Super Cup.
- Trent Alexander-Arnold, out with a left quadriceps injury.
- Éder Militao, dealing with a biceps femoris tear.
In addition, Brahim Díaz remains unavailable as he is competing in the Africa Cup of Nations, where Morocco reached the final after defeating Nigeria in a penalty shootout.
With this backdrop, Real Madrid prepare for a crucial clash against Levante under heavy pressure, following a turbulent week marked by defeat in the Spanish Super Cup, the departure of Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa’s appointment, and early elimination from the Copa del Rey. The team needs to respond immediately.
