Alvaro Arbeloa dismissed the significance of Kylian Mbappe liking an Instagram post that suggested Jose Mourinho could return to Real Madrid. During a press conference on 23 April, the Madrid manager stated he did not care if the forward liked posts about Mourinho or actress Julia Roberts. The social media interaction followed Madrid's 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves on 21 April.
Arbeloa currently oversees a squad that sits nine points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona with six matches remaining. The club faces a second consecutive trophyless season after exiting the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich. Reports from Sportskeeda and Madrid Universal suggest Arbeloa is unlikely to remain in his post beyond the current campaign.
Mourinho, currently managing Benfica, led the Spanish side between 2010 and 2013. Arbeloa also addressed rumours of a tense relationship with captain Dani Carvajal, insisting he maintains respect and admiration for the defender despite reduced game time. Real Madrid next faces Real Betis at Estadio La Cartuja, per Madrid Universal.
