Iván Helguera has shared his thoughts on the current situation at Real Madrid, expressing clear disagreement with the decision to part ways with Xabi Alonso and questioning the appointment of Álvaro Arbeloa.

The former defender, who played for Real Madrid between 1999 and 2007 and won two Champions League titles and three La Liga trophies, spoke on the podcast Bajo Palos alongside Iker Casillas. He made it clear that he was not entirely convinced by Alonso’s footballing philosophy. However, he stressed that the team had structure and balance. “I didn’t love the way they played,” Helguera admitted, “but defensively they were solid.”

He believes the club acted too soon. According to Helguera, the coaching staff deserved more time to prove their work. “You have to give a project time, at least until February or March,” he said, suggesting that patience could have led to better outcomes in difficult matches such as those in Albacete and Lisbon. In his view, the dismissal felt rushed and unnecessary.

Helguera was even more direct when discussing Arbeloa’s appointment. He questioned the logic behind promoting a coach without La Liga experience while Raúl, who spent years developing Castilla, was overlooked. “It doesn’t make much sense,” he remarked, also pointing out the heavy defeat suffered by Castilla on the same day Arbeloa was announced.

Comparing the current situation to the previous one, Helguera argued that there has been little improvement. “I don’t see things getting better. In some aspects, they’re worse,” he stated. For him, if the club truly believed a change was needed, it should have opted for a more experienced profile capable of handling the demands of Real Madrid.

Helguera concluded by naming his preferred alternative. Raúl, he insisted, would have been a more logical choice due to his leadership, experience within the club, and deep understanding of its identity. As for Arbeloa, Helguera’s stance was clear: he does not believe this was the right moment for him to take charge.

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