Despite Real Madrid’s win over Valencia at Mestalla and their continued chase of Barcelona at the top of the table, the main talking point after the match was Dani Carvajal’s visible frustration at not playing a single minute. The captain was overlooked once again, with David Jiménez starting and Alexander-Arnold coming off the bench ahead of him.

Since Álvaro Arbeloa took over from Xabi Alonso, Carvajal has yet to start a match and has accumulated just 27 minutes of playing time. This marks a sharp contrast to his role under Alonso, where he was far more involved. Under the current coach, his status has changed completely.

The issue appears to go beyond minutes on the pitch. On El Chiringuito de Jugones, journalist Edu Aguirre revealed that the relationship between Arbeloa and Carvajal is virtually nonexistent. According to Aguirre, since the coach’s arrival at the start of the year, the two “practically don’t speak,” and there has been no direct conversation clarifying Carvajal’s role following his muscle injury.

Arbeloa, however, publicly framed the situation as a matter of caution. “I’m not taking any risks. He’s the first one to push too hard before and after matches. With patience and work, he’ll find his best form,” the coach said at a press conference. Still, signs suggest the issue goes deeper than fitness.

After the final whistle at Mestalla, Carvajal was caught on camera in an animated exchange with fitness coach Antonio Pintus. His body language made his displeasure clear, especially after ten matches without a single start under Arbeloa.

With his future at the Bernabéu increasingly uncertain, this scenario does little to convince the captain to stay. As things stand, Carvajal will have to weigh his potential role next season, while options in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, or MLS remain firmly on the table.

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

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.