Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa reacts to speculation about future at La Liga club- 'Save yourselves the questions'

A report in The Athletic suggests the Spaniard called an ”impromptu meeting” with his squad on Sunday ”emphasising the need for commitment and professionalism for the rest of the season”.

It follows a difficult spell for the club, with their quarter-final exit to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League adding to their domestic struggles, with Real nine points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga with only seven matches remaining.

"You can save yourselves the questions because the answer is always going to be the same: I'm not worried at all about my future,” Arbeloa told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s home league match against 17th-placed Alaves.

”I'm concerned about these seven matches, especially the first one, which is the one I have tomorrow, and that's the only thing on my mind, and I think it's the only important thing for Real Madrid."

Arbeloa stepped up from the reserves to replace Xabi Alonso in January after his departure following just eight months in charge, and has since won 13 of his 21 games, though his tenure began with a shock Copa del Rey exit to second-tier side Albacete.

A four-game winless streak has increased scrutiny on the 43-year-old.

"In these months that I've been here, we have performed much better in major events and in more challenging matches than when we have faced opponents of lesser stature,” Arbeloa said.

”Looking back in these three months, we have a lot of room for improvement there. But also, well, we have experienced circumstances like those we faced in Girona, which I believe make it easier to win a Champions League than a domestic league for Real Madrid, and that says a lot."

Arbeloa, who won two Champions League titles with Real Madrid as a player, is well aware of the pressure at the Bernabeu and has acknowledged the club’s current struggles.

"Two seasons without winning anything," Arbeloa added. "I think the last time this happened was over 20 years ago.

"Therefore, I believe that Real Madrid is the club where things go right most often. There are seasons and moments when things don't go as they want, but the mentality of this club is always to look to the future. At Real Madrid, losing is not enough, but neither is just winning."

A list of potential candidates have been linked to the managerial role, should Arbeloa part company with Real.

United States manager Mauricio Pochettino is one of the favourites to succeed him, while former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is also regularly linked to the job despite ruling himself out of the running.

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