Álvaro Arbeloa has decided to introduce a notable change in Real Madrid’s European matchday preparations. The coach is moving away from the approach previously used by Xabi Alonso and, before him, José Mourinho, opting instead to complete training sessions directly in the opponent’s country ahead of Champions League fixtures. It marks a clear shift in the club’s logistical planning.

This new strategy will be implemented immediately. Next week, Real Madrid will travel to Lisbon on Tuesday morning and hold their final training session that same afternoon at the Estádio da Luz, on the eve of their clash with Mourinho’s side on Wednesday. With this decision, Valdebebas will no longer be the team’s base of operations on the day before European matches.

Until now, Xabi Alonso had reinstated the practice of training in Madrid before traveling, limiting the team’s presence at the rival stadium to mandatory UEFA commitments. Arbeloa, however, has chosen to rethink that model and take a different approach to match preparation.

At the time, Xabi explained his reasoning clearly: “It’s my decision because we want to prepare for the match at our training ground, in our own space, without being surrounded by 200 cameras.” Arbeloa, by contrast, is embracing a more traditional European routine, trusting preparation on-site and without concerns over potential “spies.”

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