Further details of the conflict between Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Torres have emerged, after the two were seen shouting at each other on the bench during a match at the weekend. Both manage the under-19 sides at Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid respectively, and there was no love lost during Los Blancos’ 2-0 victory on Sunday.
The pair got into on the touchline on Sunday, with Torres telling Arbeloa that he would blow his head off, and the Atleti coach pushing Arbeloa.
Things got heated between Alvaro Arbeloa and Fernando Torres on the touchline.pic.twitter.com/bxuPv1lIBK
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 14, 2023
❗️| Some of the Atleti academy players were ready to defend Fernando Torres when Álvaro Arbeloa initiated a fight by saying, "Come on, keep talking, son of a b*tch," after Real Madrid scored in extra time. pic.twitter.com/9ba7oysqym
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 15, 2023
Neither was willing to let the incident go, with both known for being fiery characters as players too. Despite sharing a dressing room for Liverpool and Spain, Torres was an icon for Atletico and Arbeloa was a right-back for Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho.
❗️| Álvaro Arbeloa to the Atleti U19 bench: “R*tarded, you are a r*tard.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/enjdn2DjsM
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 15, 2023
As Torres left the pitch to insults from Real Madrid fans, he was clearly still highly frustrated, calling one of the a clown and threatening to go into the stands.
🚨| Fernando Torres to the Real Madrid fans insulting him after getting sent off: “I'm going up there now, clown.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/mSbITvK8p3
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) May 14, 2023
According to El Chiringuito, the entire incident kicked off after Arbeloa was shouting at the referee. The assistant manager then insults Arbeloa as he thought that Arbeloa was shouting at the Atletico players. Torres demands that Arbeloa stops shouting at his players, and Arbeloa tells him to ‘look at your own bench, that’s where the problem is.’
🚨 @JuanfeSanzPerez desveló más información sobre el pique entre Arbeloa y Torres. ¿Por qué se originó? 👇 pic.twitter.com/102Xu4NTh3
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 16, 2023
The tension between the two then descends into insults. After the match, sources from El Chiringuito at Real Madrid say that the away dressing room was damaged by Atletico Madrid, and the club are considering whether they should send Los Colchoneros the bill for that damage.
All of this comes in the context of increased tension between the clubs anyway. Previously the pair had agreed not to sign players from each other, but Real Madrid broke that pact last season, and have been trying to poach players from their neighbours since. Increasingly, that tension is being seen on the touchline, between two teams that do not have much feeling for each other as it is, but are especially inflamed currently.
