The winning streak that Alvaro Arbeloa is enjoying in LaLiga since he made the step up from Castilla to the first team of Real Madrid, five in a row after defeating Levante, Villarreal, Rayo, Valencia and Real Sociedad, puts him two wins away from becoming the coach with the best start in the history of the club.
The record is held by Brazilian Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who went on a seven-game winning streak after arriving at Real Madrid in the 2004-05 season. He was the third coach in a hectic season at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Jose Antonio Camacho resigning early on and Mariano Garcia Remon taking over on a provisional basis.
The arrival of the Brazilian coach on matchday 15 provoked a reaction from the ‘Galacticos‘, who managed to string together seven victories until they lost to Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabeu (0-2). They finished LaLiga second, behind Barcelona, four points behind.
The second-best record is recent. It was set this season by Xabi Alonso. After making his debut as Real Madrid coach in the last competition of last season, the Club World Cup, his first matches in LaLiga EA Sports saw him achieve six wins in a row.
From August to the end of September, they defeated Osasuna, Oviedo, Mallorca, Real Sociedad, Espanyol and Levante before a setback in the derby at the Metropolitano. The 5-2 defeat cut short their good run and installed doubt in the upper echelons of the club.
Arbeloa has it in his hands to make history in LaLiga
Since Arbeloa took over from his close friend, he has won everything in domestic competition. Their two defeats resulted in elimination from the Copa del Rey, against Albacete, and dropping into the Champions League ‘repechage’ against Benfica, their last-16 opponents after the 4-2 defeat at Da Luz.
In LaLiga, Arbeloa has it in his hands to make history by leaving his name in a club record. He made his debut in a turbulent atmosphere at the Bernabeu, with the players booed and Vinicius and Jude Bellingham whistled throughout the match against Levante, which was resolved in the second half (2-0). At La Ceramica, he recorded his most solid victory in terms of team image (0-2).
With more difficulties than expected, from a penalty in the 100th minute, they overcame Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu (2-1). Without Vinicius, they won a serious match without any frills at Mestalla (0-2). And without Kylian Mbappe, they thrashed the team of the moment, Real Sociedad (4-1), in a match that gives Real Madrid provisional leadership.
Arbeloa, who is recovering players from injuries in defence, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rudiger, and has found balance by moving full-backs Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga into their natural positions as midfielders, sees progress in his team to fight for LaLiga and the Champions League.
His streak of league victories surpasses that of recent coaching legends. Italian Carlo Ancelotti, the most successful coach in Real Madrid’s history, won his first three league games in his first spell and one at the start of his second. Frenchman Zinedine Zidane matched his two cycles, with two wins in both. Both coaches went on to win 12 league games in a row, but with the tournament well underway.
Three La Liga matches won on arrival were achieved by Vicente del Bosque, German Bernd Schuster and Julen Lopetegui. Arbeloa equalled the victory against Real Sociedad, the five of Jose Quirante in 1929, Enrique Fernandez in 1953 and Chilean Manuel Pellegrini in 2009.
To achieve the best record, Arbeloa will have to beat Osasuna next Saturday, after the visit to Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League, and Getafe at the Bernabeu on matchday 26. If he maintains his winning streak, he would be the only coach to win his first eight league games with a visit to Celta at Balaidos.
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