Alvaro Arbeloa has officially left Real Madrid, a club he joined 20 years ago. His departure comes after a season marred by the loss of the La Liga title to fierce rivals Barcelona and an early exit from the Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich.

Arbeloa's Farewell

The Spanish defender's official farewell came with a strong message: he will not continue his career under Jose Mourinho, the newly appointed head coach of the "blanco" side. Arbeloa emphasized his gratitude for his time at Real Madrid but made it clear that a reunion with Mourinho was out of the question.

"I leave Real Madrid with immense gratitude, as the players have made me a better person and have made me enjoy every day. I won't stay with Jose Mourinho, no chance. But I hope we'll see each other soon, of course," Arbeloa stated, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

Mourinho's Return to Madrid

Mourinho, who previously led Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013 and secured three trophies, is set to return to the club. The 63-year-old Portuguese coach is expected to sign a three-year contract, with the official announcement from the club imminent.

The club will play their final match of the season against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday at 22:00 local time, the last game for Arbeloa as the interim coach. Despite his departure, Arbeloa expressed hope that his time at Real Madrid would not be the last.

Arbeloa's tenure as interim coach was marked by significant internal tensions, including a conflict with star player Kylian Mbappe and recent disputes within the locker room.