Álvaro Arbeloa’s era at Real Madrid began with a major setback, as the team was eliminated from the Copa del Rey by Albacete. The defeat represents another painful blow for the Spanish giants, adding to a series of disappointments suffered in recent seasons.

With the cup now gone, Real Madrid are forced to focus entirely on the final stretch of LaLiga and the Champions League. In both competitions, the margin for error is virtually nonexistent, especially after the setbacks experienced this season under Xabi Alonso and now Arbeloa.

However, as the season approaches its decisive phase and the Champions League enters its final rounds, a series of striking coincidences has emerged, echoing events from a decade ago. Those coincidences ultimately preceded the most successful era in Real Madrid’s European history: three consecutive Champions League titles.

It all begins with a symbolic parallel. In both 2014 and 2024, Real Madrid were crowned champions of Europe. From there, further similarities appear when comparing events separated by exactly ten years.

In 2015 and again in 2025, the club ended the season without lifting a single trophy. In the most recent campaign, Barcelona claimed both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, while the Champions League was won by Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain.

Back in 2015, Real Madrid had also suffered a Copa del Rey elimination, infamously due to an ineligible lineup against Cádiz involving Denis Cheryshev in the round of 16.

Another notable coincidence lies in individual achievements. In 2025, Kylian Mbappé became Real Madrid’s first Golden Boot winner in a decade, matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s accomplishment in 2015.

That same year, Carlo Ancelotti left the club, a scenario that has repeated itself ten years later. Ancelotti’s departure in 2015 was followed by the brief spells of Xabi Alonso and Rafael Benítez, before Zinedine Zidane arrived from Castilla. That decision proved decisive, ushering in Champions League triumphs in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

History now appears to be offering a similar script. With Arbeloa appointed after Xabi Alonso’s dismissal in January following the Super Cup defeat against Barcelona, Real Madrid once again turn to a former Castilla coach. Despite starting his tenure with a painful Copa del Rey exit, Arbeloa will aim to follow the same path Zidane once did and turn an early stumble into the beginning of a historic cycle.

********************************************************

You can now download the Madridista News App for free on the Apple Store and Google Play.

You can follow us on Facebook here.

You can follow us on X (Twitter) here.                                                                    

You can follow us on Instagram here.

You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here.

You can follow us on Telegram here.

You can follow us on TikTok here.

You can join our WhatsApp channel here.