The reasons Alvaro Arbeloa is now ahead of Raul Gonzalez in Real Madrid pecking order

Real Madrid is a club embroiled in politics and the manager’s position is perhaps more subject to it than any other. Despite doing a good job with Real Madrid Castilla, who are second in their Primera RFEF group and in the running for promotion, Raul Gonzalez is no longer the number one internal option to make the jump to the first team.

Former right-back Alvaro Arbeloa, currently in charge of the under-19 side, has overtaken him as a preferred option for the club. The Juvenil A side were invited to show off their Copa del Rey trophy ahead of Real Madrid against Real Valladolid at the weekend, a tribute that was no accident according to Cadena SER.

Arbeloa is closer to President Florentino Perez than Raul, and there is a section within the club that misses the days of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese has been mentioned as an option for the bench next season should Carlo Ancelotti leave, and Arbeloa is a reminder of the Mourinho era, having been one of his greatest supporters in the dressing room at the time.

It is also true that he is doing an excellent job with the under-19 side. Next season he is expected to either be given the reins at Raul’s Castilla side, or make the jump to the first team as an assistant manager, or more improbably, as the manager himself. What is clear is that Arbeloa is now ahead of Raul in any rankings to become the next first-team manager.

Raul on the other hand is more likely to leave the club in the summer in order to continue his development elsewhere – his path forward at Los Blancos is now stifled by Arbeloa.