Key Takeaways
- Álvaro Arbeloa says he does not care that Kylian Mbappé liked a post backing José Mourinho for the Real Madrid job.
- Real Madrid are nine points behind Barcelona with six La Liga matches left and have already exited every cup.
- Arbeloa insists his only focus is winning the next game, not social media or his own future.
Real Madrid stand-in coach Álvaro Arbeloa has brushed aside talk that Kylian Mbappé wants José Mourinho back at the Bernabéu.
Fans spotted the France striker pressing “like” on a post that praised Mourinho’s record during his first spell with Los Blancos. The post claimed the Portuguese coach could wake the squad up after a trophyless season.
When reporters asked about the online activity, Arbeloa laughed it off. “It doesn’t bother me if he likes Mourinho, Julia Roberts or anyone else,” he said ahead of Friday’s trip to Real Betis. “It has zero importance to me.”
Real Madrid sit nine points behind Barcelona with only six league games left. They have also crashed out of the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
Club president Florentino Pérez is expected to review the coaching role in the summer. Mourinho, who now manages Benfica, is one of several names in the rumour mill.
Arbeloa, promoted from the academy setup after Carlo Ancelotti’s exit, refused to discuss his own prospects. “My duty is to prepare the team for the next match,” he said. “These players demand the best from themselves. My job is to guide them on the pitch.”
After Betis, Madrid play three straight away fixtures, ending with the Clásico at the Camp Nou on 10 May. They then finish with two home games and one final road trip.
