boyle: Arbeloa's Real Madrid faces pivotal Benfica Champions League test after Lisbon chaos
Alvaro Arbeloa's brief spell in charge of Real Madrid has reached an early crossroads after a fraught 1-0 first-leg win at Benfica that was marred by allegations of racial abuse and an extended stoppage. With a narrow advantage and a second leg set for Wednesday, February 25 (ET) at the Santiago Bernabéu, the result and the fallout from Lisbon could define the 43-year-old manager's trajectory at the club.
Why this tie matters for Arbeloa
Arbeloa was appointed only weeks ago and stepped into a high-risk role with no top-level managerial résumé. The club moved quickly after a slow start to explore contingency plans, but six wins from seven matches since have restored calm among the hierarchy and reassured supporters—at least temporarily. Still, elimination from the Champions League at this stage would be a seismic setback for a team that has not fallen short of the last 16 for more than three decades.
The stakes go beyond a single knockout tie. Success would consolidate Arbeloa’s authority, justify his tactical tweaks and buy time as he shapes a squad in transition. Failure would reopen questions about experience and direction, and could lead to renewed speculation about further changes in the dugout.
Arbeloa has already shown tactical flexibility since the January loss in Lisbon that left Real in a precarious position domestically and in Europe. The coach moved away from a 4-3-3 that featured Franco Mastantuono, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior as a front three and trialled a 4-4-2 that sees Mastantuono drop into midfield and rotates Gonzalo García alongside Vinícius and Mbappé in striking roles. Arbeloa has defended the shift as a bid to be more compact and harder to break down while preserving counter-attacking options.
Match flashpoint and wider fallout
The first-leg victory in Lisbon offered a slender competitive edge but was overshadowed when an exchange after Vinícius’s 50th-minute goal prompted the activation of football’s anti-racism protocol and an 11-minute halt to proceedings. The incident heightened tensions on the pitch, with Real players briefly threatening to leave and a delay that dominated postmatch conversations.
Vinícius celebrated emphatically and then clashed with an opposing player in a heated moment that officials assessed under the anti-racism procedures. The stoppage allowed both teams to cool down and for the referee to manage the situation, but it also brought broader scrutiny to stadium conduct and referee protocols at elite European fixtures.
Benfica pushed late and mustered pressure, while their manager was dismissed after two bookings in the closing stages, further underscoring the fractious nature of the night. For Real, the narrow advantage carries both relief and warning: a lead is better than defeat, but nothing is settled until the second leg at the Bernabéu.
What comes next
Real return to Madrid with a fragile margin and a host of narrative threads to manage. On the sporting front, Arbeloa will try to consolidate his tactical adjustments and pick a selection that both secures defensive solidity and exploits the counter-attacking strengths of Mbappé and Vinícius. Off the field, the club faces pressure to ensure a safe, respectful atmosphere for players and to handle any formal complaints or disciplinary processes that follow the Lisbon events.
With the return leg set for Wednesday, February 25 (ET), Arbeloa’s short-term future is tightly linked to what unfolds at the Santiago Bernabéu. A composed, convincing win would strengthen his position and quiet critics; another dramatic night, particularly one that ends in elimination or renewed controversy, would quickly reheat talk of change.
