The relationship between Ceballos and Real is reportedly over after a heated argument at the Valdebebas training center last week. According to Marca, the Spanish midfielder proactively entered coach Arbeloa's office for a private conversation, but the exchange quickly became tense.

After leaving the coach's office, Ceballos returned to the locker room and informed his teammates that he had asked Arbeloa "to have no further contact" with him. The 29-year-old midfielder also admitted he would no longer be registered to play for Real for the remainder of the season.

Ceballos during Real's match against Bayern at Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany, in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on the evening of 15/4. *Photo: Marca*

Ceballos clarified this to his teammates because he did not want the team's atmosphere to be affected. However, the incident still caused great surprise in the Real locker room, despite the club's internal situation already having seen many changes this season.

Immediately afterward, Real dropped Ceballos from the squad list, citing a "technical decision." This is a clear signal that the Royal club fully sided with Arbeloa in the conflict with the former Arsenal midfielder.

Real has no intention of mediating or downplaying the matter. Club management was fully informed of the confrontation between the coach and the player but still decided to support Arbeloa.

This is not the first time Ceballos has disagreed with Arbeloa. The two had clashed before, but the simmering conflict persisted until last week when it erupted. The situation worsened when the Spanish midfielder had not played a single minute since returning from injury in early april.

Ceballos's last match for Real could have been on 21/2, in a one-two defeat against Osasuna. In that match, he made a mistake leading to the decisive goal. According to Spanish media, the coaching staff lost faith in the midfielder after that game.

Ceballos joined Real from Betis in 2017 with high expectations, having emerged as a promising young midfielder in Spanish football. However, he never secured a regular starting spot in the first team.

In nearly nine years on Real's books, Ceballos regularly played a backup role. His most notable period was two seasons on loan at Arsenal from 2019 to 2021. At Emirates Stadium, the midfielder was given more opportunities and became a fairly important player under Mikel Arteta.

After returning to Madrid, Ceballos was expected to revive his career thanks to his ability to control the ball and dictate the pace of the game. In the summer of 2023, Real even extended his contract until 2027. However, successive injuries and inconsistent form gradually led to him losing his place.

Ceballos has also determined this will be his final season at Bernabeu. Real reportedly agrees with this view because the club wants to reduce the wage bill and create more space for new signings or promising young players from the academy.

Ceballos's most likely destination is currently Betis, his former club where he developed before moving to Real. Besides Betis, some other clubs in La Liga and Europe are also monitoring Ceballos's situation. Last summer, Olympique Marseille came very close to signing the Spanish midfielder, but the deal fell apart at the last minute.

By Hoang An (Source: Marca)