“Dani Carvajal is going through dark days at Real Madrid under Arbeloa.”

At the epicenter of Real Madrid, tension is exploding behind the scenes at the Santiago Bernabéu: Dani Carvajal, the experienced Merengue captain, is experiencing one of the most turbulent moments of his career in a silent war with the current interim coach, Álvaro Arbeloa. After taking over the team midway through the season, the former player is trying to restore harmony but is facing internal fires that threaten to destabilize the locker room.

The situation escalated when Carvajal, 33, saw his place in the starting eleven threatened by two serious injuries and strong competition from names like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fede Valverde. Without any minutes played in crucial matches against RCD Mallorca and Bayern Munich, the right-back is going through “dark days,” feeling that his position is being unfairly questioned for the first time in years.

The last straw was his exclusion from the match against Rayo Vallecano, followed by the selection of young David Jiménez, a product of Real Madrid’s B team, as a starter at Mestalla. Carvajal’s outrage was captured by cameras: he confronted Arbeloa with a firm stance, making his discontent clear. Although there were talks of a reconciliation attempt between the two, young Jiménez was quickly returned to the B team, failing to resolve the underlying tension.

The conflict has extended beyond the games. In training sessions at the Valdebebas center, Carvajal was involved in a controversial incident, a “very ugly” tackle on another talent from the academy, Victor Valdepenas, who ended up sidelined for a month due to this aggression. This heated episode reveals the level of frustration of the captain, who seems to be on the brink of emotional collapse.

Interestingly, it was Alexander-Arnold himself, a direct competitor for the right-back position, who, by arriving late to a training session before the Madrid derby, opened the door for Carvajal to return to the starting lineup, allowing for a temporary reconciliation between player and coach. However, the peace is fragile, and the Spanish international remains dissatisfied with his secondary role.

Carvajal’s situation is even more dramatic due to the threat of not being called up for this summer’s World Cup. The Spanish coach, Luis de la Fuente, demands clear evidence that the Real Madrid captain is fit to secure his place in the squad, something that, with so few minutes on the pitch, seems increasingly unlikely.

At Real Madrid, the battle for the right-back position is far from over. As Carvajal struggles to regain his influence and prove his worth, Arbeloa maintains control of the team and does not hesitate to make tough decisions for the good of the club. The future of the Madrid captain is at stake – and the clock is ticking.

Stay tuned for more updates on this drama that is shaking one of the biggest clubs in world football.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.