Alvaro Arbeloa, who has been serving as Real Madrid’s interim manager, took a moment to express a deeply personal farewell to one of his players, Gonzalo Garcia. The emotional exchange came after the final LaLiga match of the 2025/26 season, where Real Madrid secured a 4-2 victory over Athletic Club.
Arbeloa stepped into the managerial role in January after the club parted ways with Xabi Alonso. Despite his efforts, the team fell short in both the Champions League and LaLiga, losing to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and suffering a crucial defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico. This marked two consecutive trophy-less seasons for Real Madrid, leading to President Florentino Perez’s decision to bring in a new head coach, with Jose Mourinho expected to take over this summer.
Before the match against Athletic, Arbeloa announced his departure, prompting several players to share their gratitude. Garcia, who scored the opening goal against Athletic, took to Instagram to thank Arbeloa: ‘Mister, I am incredibly thankful for everything you have taught me over these years. It has been an honor to work with you, both at the academy and with the first team. I wish you and your staff the very best; you truly deserve it.’
In his response, Arbeloa admitted he wished he had been more fair with the forward, stating, ‘Thank you so much, Gon. You’ve been much more than just a player to me. I wish I had been more fair with you. Go show all your worth.’ Garcia finished the season with six goals and one assist in 30 LaLiga appearances.