Dani Ceballos
Álvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid
Spain
Football
Shocking Details Reveal Crisis Between Real Madrid Star and Arbeloa
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What is happening inside the Royal Club?
The tension at Real Madrid between midfielder Dani Ceballos and coach Álvaro Arbeloa is escalating, with growing conflicts leading to the player being repeatedly left out of the squad in recent matches.
According to Spanish newspaper *Mundo Deportivo*, the roots of the disagreement trace back to Ceballos becoming aware of certain negative remarks made by the coach about a club the player was hoping to join. This reportedly created a tense atmosphere and sparked a locker room rift.
Since that point, Ceballos has been absent from the matchday squad for three consecutive games. The streak began in late April during the clash against Real Betis at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, marking the first decision to drop him after the conflict became more apparent between player and coach.
He was also not called up for the following matches, including the game against Espanyol at RCDE Stadium and later the latest El Clásico against Barcelona at Camp Nou, signaling the crisis remains unresolved with no signs of de-escalation.
Reports suggest the situation worsened when the player learned that the Real Madrid coach had not praised him in front of a club with which Ceballos had been negotiating over his future. The player interpreted this as a negative stance toward him.
Despite having a contract with Real Madrid until June 30, 2027, the midfielder appears increasingly close to leaving during the upcoming summer transfer window, especially after his last-minute attempt to join Olympique Marseille fell through during the previous summer.
A notable decline in his role within the team is also evident, as the coaching staff has relied more heavily on other players, including academy product Tiago Bitash, at Ceballos’s expense in certain tactical decisions.
Since the conflict intensified, Ceballos has been entirely excluded from team plans and is no longer part of the technical considerations, with speculation suggesting he may not return until the end of the season. If this situation persists, his last appearance came on February 21, when he played just eight minutes in Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Osasuna.