Florentino Perez's Failure

The upheaval on the coaching bench, the collapse of the Super League, and the stoppage in the Champions League quarter-finals mirror a year of defeat for Real Madrid.

Regardless of the perspective, this season for Real Madrid remains a comprehensive failure, except for surpassing Barcelona to win La Liga. For Madridistas, the ultimate responsibility lies with Florentino Perez (this season, fans repeatedly demanded his resignation). But in the mind of Real Madrid's president, if one must point to the person directly responsible for making everything deteriorate on the pitch, it is Alvaro Arbeloa.

April 15 became a bitter milestone, as Real Madrid likely ended the season without any titles after being eliminated by Bayern Munich. A failure not only in results, but also in image and character. Of course, the red card controversy involving Camavinga is only part of the picture.

This is the consequence of a series of misguided decisions from the top. Florentino Perez made a wrong gamble by bringing Xabi Alonso back at an inappropriate time. Alonso did not want to take on the task at the FIFA Club World Cup, which was not his own. Choosing Arbeloa as a replacement failed to convince many. A decision more personal than professional, and ultimately one that had to be paid for.

2026 became one of the most difficult years in Perez's tenure. Not only failing on the pitch, he also suffered reputational damage as Real Madrid became the last team to withdraw from the controversial Super League project, which ultimately collapsed under pressure from UEFA, fans, and federations. Prior to this event, Real Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

In that context, the team possessed top individuals but could not convert that into success. This was no longer a matter of squad strength, but of organization and direction. Kylian Mbappe scored but it wasn't enough. Vinicius only shone briefly when Mbappe was injured. Courtois saved the team nearly all season, but got injured at a crucial moment.

Perez was mistaken, but clearly Arbeloa cannot evade responsibility. He lost three titles in just over two months, a statistic sufficient to define failure. Arbeloa lacks the influence of Jose Mourinho or Carlo Ancelotti, so he publicly praised Vinicius. At Allianz Arena, Vini looked at Bellingham: "shut up."

Bayern Munich won because their stars sacrificed for the collective, even when Neuer was a disaster. Real Madrid was different; their stars demanded the collective serve them.