Is Arbeloa the victim or the main reason behind Real Madrid’s collapse this season?

Arbeloa has been forced to face everything alone. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Simply put, rather than driving the chaos, Arbeloa has looked like someone left to deal with problems alone.

One of the clearest examples came following the highly publicised altercation involving Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Beyond the official club communication, Arbeloa was effectively left as the only public figure addressing the situation and attempting to calm tensions surrounding the squad.

The same pattern has repeated itself regarding discussions over Real Madrid’s disappointing campaign overall.

While questions continue, very few influential voices inside the club have publicly taken responsibility or offered clarity about the direction of the project.

Lack of a leader

These situations beg us to look at the current problems that are beyond tactics or individual performances.

Instead, the issue being discussed is the lack of leadership inside the dressing room – something Real Madrid have struggled with in recent seasons.

Vinicius Jr. was Real Madrid’s captain against Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Players like Karim Benzema and Luka Modric were not only important on the pitch but also dominant personalities capable of controlling difficult moments behind closed doors.

Since their exits, Real Madrid have often looked like a squad lacking authority during moments of pressure, and the situation against Barcelona in El Clasico showed that reality once again.

With Dani Carvajal unavailable through injury and Valverde absent while recovering from concussion issues, the captain’s armband was handed to Vinicius Jr. as the team’s third-choice captain.

For many, that image perfectly reflected the uncertainty currently surrounding the club.

Now, a single question continues hanging over Real Madrid heading into the summer: what comes next?

Fans are demanding answers regarding potential sales, new signings and possible major changes after a second consecutive season without silverware.

Yet, at the moment, there appears to be no clear roadmap publicly emerging from within the club.