Real Madrid has pivoted to a “crisis management” mode focused on stabilizing the squad and pacifying a revolting fan base following a week of domestic cup exits and managerial upheaval.
The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu turned toxic on January 17, 2026, as Real Madrid fans openly revolted against president Florentino Pérez during a tense 2-0 victory over Levante.
Despite second-half goals from Kylian Mbappé and Raúl Asencio securing Álvaro Arbeloa’s first win, the stands were filled with resounding chants of “Florentino resign… Florentino resign,” reflecting deep-seated anger over a disastrous week that saw the club lose the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona and crash out of the Copa del Rey to second-tier Albacete.
The sudden sacking of Xabi Alonso and the appointment of Arbeloa have shifted the season’s ambitions from a historic treble to a desperate search for stability and locker room harmony.
Tensions have also extended to the pitch, with Vinícius Júnior targeted by whistles as his contract talks remain stalled amid a reported “strained relationship” with the board. Arbeloa acknowledged the hostile environment, stating,
“The fans have every right to show their dissatisfaction… Those whistles were for everyone, and for me first and foremost because I’m the one in charge.”
With Pérez seen laughing off the protests by asking colleagues, “Are they talking about me?”, the club now faces a critical junction where salvageable La Liga and Champions League campaigns must be navigated through a cloud of institutional crisis and fan dissent.