Alvaro Arbeloa regrets the absence of Mbappé in El Clásico.

Real Madrid sinks into crisis after humiliating defeat in El Clásico and controversial absence of Mbappé

Despair has set in at Santiago Bernabéu following the humiliating 2-0 defeat against eternal rival Barcelona, which sealed the end of an absolutely disastrous 2025-26 season for Real Madrid. For the second consecutive season, the Merengues have failed to win any titles, a harsh blow for a club with the history and ambition of the Spanish giant. A lack of brilliance, strategic errors, and questionable decisions have marked this final phase of the season.

In the aftermath of the match, coach Álvaro Arbeloa did not hold back in his criticism of the refereeing, particularly regarding a controversial decision that left Madrid fans feeling unjustly treated. “It seemed clear to me that there was an elbow, but even so, congratulations to Barça for winning the league today. Our season ends here, but we cannot give up. We defend something much bigger than all of us, the emblem of Real Madrid. We have to show that we are truly hurt,” he stated with a mix of frustration and a call for recovery.

Arbeloa acknowledged the fury of the fans, admitting he understands the anger and frustration that dominate the Spanish capital: “We cannot say much because we understand the revolt of our fans. We can only look to the future and learn from the mistakes of this year. We always rise up. It is essential to take a step forward and have a clear idea of what we need to do. We lost many points that we shouldn’t have. Losing to Barça is understandable, but not against other teams.”

The coach also explained the absence of Kylian Mbappé in the most anticipated match of the season, something that raised many speculations. “There are two weeks left until the end of the season, and we will see how he progresses from his discomfort to understand if he can play. I would have liked him to have played, but he was not at 100%.” Regarding Dean Huijsen, who missed the match at the last minute, Arbeloa revealed that the young player wanted to step onto the field but felt weakened during warm-up: “In a game of this importance, we needed energy.”

When asked about his future in charge of Real Madrid, Álvaro Arbeloa was pragmatic: “We will probably have a conversation with the club, as is normal, but I want the team to finish the season well and I don’t want to be influenced by the last three games. I want to focus and give minutes to the players who haven’t played recently.”

The outlook for Real Madrid is bleak and demands profound changes. The early elimination from the title race, coupled with the absence of figures like Mbappé in crucial moments, leaves the team at a crossroads that could define the club’s future. It is clear that the patience of the fans is wearing thin, and the pressure on Arbeloa is only increasing. The Bernabéu demands quick and effective answers to prevent glory from continuing to slip away.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.