7M - Real Madrid Face Rare Trophyless Campaign: Is Arbeloa at Risk?

As the immediate sting of their Champions League quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich fades, Real Madrid face the prospect of ending the campaign without silverware. A late lapse in discipline from Eduardo Camavinga, who received a second yellow card for time wasting, preceded two stoppage-time Bayern goals that sealed a dramatic 4-3 aggregate defeat.

With seven La Liga matches remaining, Los Blancos trail Barcelona by nine points. Unless they overturn that deficit, this season will mark only the fifth time this century that Real Madrid have finished trophyless, joining the 2004-05, 2005-06, 2009-10 and 2020-21 campaigns.

Manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over from Xabi Alonso in January following Alonso's resignation after the Spanish Super Cup loss to Barcelona, now faces an uncertain future. His tenure began with a Copa del Rey defeat to second-tier Albacete, and despite recording 13 wins in 21 matches, inconsistency has persisted.

Jude Bellingham, who has missed significant time through shoulder and hamstring injuries, emphasized the stakes before the Munich clash: "Any loss in the Champions League feels like a disaster. Given the situation we're in, we understand tomorrow is a final."

After the match, Arbeloa disputed the fairness of Camavinga's dismissal but accepted ultimate accountability. "I am the one responsible for the defeats and I will always take the consequences," he stated. "I care about this club, the players and the supporters a lot more than I care about myself."

Historical precedent offers little comfort: both Manuel Pellegrini and Zinedine Zidane departed following trophyless seasons at the Bernabeu. Yet analysis suggests an immediate change would yield minimal benefit, with Arbeloa's contract reportedly extending through 2026-27 and key players like Vinicius Junior praising his rapport with the squad.

A pivotal Clasico at Camp Nou in May remains, but with La Liga and Europe now near-impossible targets, pressure on Arbeloa is likely to intensify. For now, the 43-year-old insists his focus remains solely on supporting the team: "I feel I've done everything I can to help my players win every day."