Alvaro Arbeloa and Dani Carvajal hold decisive talks to clear differences

Madrid, – Tension surrounding Dani Carvajal’s role at Real Madrid has eased after the club captain and coach Alvaro Arbeloa held clear-the-air talks on Monday morning, MARCA reports.

Carvajal, who returned from injury in early January, has featured for only 27 minutes across all competitions, with Arbeloa preferring Federico Valverde at right-back and giving minutes to Trent Alexander-Arnold and David Jiménez ahead of the skipper during last weekend’s visit to Valencia.

The 32-year-old’s frustration spilled over after the final whistle at Mestalla, when television cameras captured an animated exchange with fitness coach Antonio Pintus. Speculation quickly mounted that the Spanish international could seek a summer exit if his situation did not improve.

Rather than allow the rift to linger, both parties opted for immediate dialogue. During the first-team training session at Valdebebas, Carvajal outlined his disappointment at being sidelined despite declaring himself fully fit, while Arbeloa reiterated his reluctance to risk a relapse of the muscular issues that have plagued the defender in recent seasons.

Sources close to the squad described the conversation as “calm and constructive,” with neither man wanting the disagreement to destabilise the squad during a crucial stage of the campaign. The discussion ended with an agreement to continue cooperating, although the coaching staff will continue to monitor Carvajal’s workload.

While the talks have secured the captain’s short-term future, uncertainty remains over his long-term status. Club insiders acknowledge that minutes will be managed carefully between now and May, and no guarantees have been offered beyond the current season.

Real Madrid’s next fixture falls this weekend, and all eyes will be on Arbeloa’s team sheet to see whether Monday’s détente translates into a more prominent role for Carvajal down the stretch.

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