Villarreal – Real Madrid: Arbeloa’s Honeymoon Continues (0-2)

After the disaster against Albacete, Real Madrid seemed to bounce back again. The La Ceramica test was the perfect place to evaluate Alvaro Arbeloa's team integrity. Despite being far away from the final product, off-ball intensity, transitional play, and positional rotations allowed Real Madrid to sail to a safer place.

Tactical analysis and match report by Achraf Lamdarhri.

Following the Spanish Super Cup defeat, Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso parted ways in a manner that surprised the football community. The man who was supposed to reinstate the work ethic, build a solid team, and guide the white ship to podiums again didn't last more than six months as Real Madrid's coach. Jürgen Klopp, former Liverpool manager, was one of the first ones who commented on the matter, stating that "it is another sign that something isn't working perfectly there." Alvaro Arbeloa replaced his former teammate in the dugout.

Misfortunes never come alone. Arbeloa lost his first game as Los Blancos manager against the twelfth-ranked team in the Segunda Division. That saw Real Madrid get eliminated from the Copa del Rey, igniting the fans' anger and frustration. Against Levante, the Bernabéu roared in whistles and boos, showcasing the exasperation and disagreement against the administration's decisions and the players' consistent underperformance. Real Madrid seemed to bounce back in the Champions League against Monaco, edging past the French team in a 6-1 thrashing in Madrid.

Heading into the game, Villarreal occupied a precarious position, sitting third in La Liga. Whilst their league standing seemed to be strong, the Submarines were navigating a turbulent . . .