Rare

When a visibly drained looking Alvaro Arbeloa stepped into the press room in Munich, questions about his future felt unavoidable. His expression echoed the same sense of disappointment he showed after his very first match in charge, the defeat by Albacete.

The 43-year-old has been in the role for only four months, having replaced Alonso in January. Yet the pressure has been relentless, the results have been inconsistent, and the season now looks set to end without major silverware – a repeat of 2024-25, when only the Uefa Super Cup was secured.

This would be the first time in 16 years Real Madrid have gone two consecutive seasons without winning a major trophy. Under president Florentino Perez, managers’ contracts have typically ended the moment those trophies disappear.

Throughout it all, Arbeloa has consistently taken responsibility, deflecting the blame away from his players. By his own admission, he is ‘a man of the badge’, fully committed to fighting for the club at all costs.

But taking consistent ownership for poor defeats won’t be enough to convince Perez he’s the right man to lead Madrid into next season.

The club never publicly clarified the length of Arbeloa’s contract although sources suggest it runs until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. For now, dismissing Arbeloa before the season concludes would serve little purpose, with relatively little left at stake.

Real sit nine points behind Barcelona is La Liga with a Clasico at Camp Nou still to play in May. Players have also spoken openly about how Arbeloa improved morale in the dressing room. Vinicius Junior, speaking ahead of the first leg against Bayern, said that he had ‘a wonderful connection’ with Arbeloa and that he ‘hoped he could continue’ working with him.

For now, Arbeloa said he isn’t worried about his future.

“Since I’ve been in this position, it hasn’t been the slightest worry. I feel I’ve done everything I can to help my players win every day.”

But if anyone understands the unforgiving nature of Real Madrid’s managerial turnover, it is Arbeloa.

JASON Statham has shared some very rare family snaps from his holiday to Turkey with fiancee Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and their two young children. 

The actor, 58, took to social media to post photos from their time at five star hotel Regnum at The Crown in Antalya, where rooms cost up to £3,000-a-night. 

Jason and model Rosie, 38, are parents to Jack, eight, and four-year-old Isabella. 

Fast & Furious star Jason showed off his close bond with the kids while they relaxed at the hotel’s stunning crystal cove pool. 

He and Jack were seen taking in the view with their arms around each other, while another snap showed the young lad standing on his dad’s shoulders in the pool. 

Meanwhile Isabella was seen taking a dip in the water and one photo showed proud dad Jason lifting her into the air. 

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Jason didn’t include any photos of Rosie in his upload, which he captioned: “The cave.”

The couple have been together since 2010 and got engaged in 2016.

But Rosie previously confessed they’re in no rush to walk down the aisle.

She told Entertainment Tonight: “We’re looking forward to that time. It’s also not a huge priority for us, we’re so happy.

“I think it will be fun to do it when the baby’s [Jack] grown up a bit and he can be involved in the wedding.”

Rosie and Jack live in a Georgian townhouse in London and have spent two years renovating it together.

Revealing how the process has been, she told Vogue Australia: “Jason has the most impeccable taste.

“He taught me so much about architecture and furniture.”

Rosie added that being in a relationship with Jason for 16 years has been “very grounding”.

GLADIATORS star Jodie Ounsley has shared rare loved-up snaps with her rugby player girlfriend Ellen Ramsbottom.

The pair went public with their romance in July last year and now Jodie has called her other half “my calm in all the chaos” in a gushing birthday tribute.

The BBC One star, known as Fury on the show, took to her Instagram feed to share a series of snaps of the two of them together as well as solo pictures of Ellen.

In one photo, the ladies are glammed up in stunning dresses as they hold hands while walking down a hotel hallway.

In another picture, the two are seen enjoying a beach day as Ellen plants a kiss on Jodie’s face.

She captioned the post: “The person who holds everything together behind the scenes, my calm in all the chaos and the one who makes me cackle like no one else.

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“Happy Birthday, ya special human,” Jodie concluded.

Their fans flocked to the comments section to send the couple some love as one said: “Eugh the beautiful eyes in this relationship is unreal!”

Another person gushed: “You two seem like a ‘forever’ kinda couple. I love it xxxx.”

While a third added: “Happy birthday to your special person.”

Jodie and Ellen first met when they were 16, playing together at Loughborough Rugby.

They went public with their romance last Summer in a YouTube vlog and their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength.

The post comes after Jodie’s dad Phil Ounsley, 56, tragically died after collapsing on one of Yorkshire’s three peaks in December.

She shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram as she penned: “Heartbroken. Yesterday, my dad suddenly passed away while doing one of his favourite things—walking Pen-y-Ghent.

“He had hiked that peak countless times throughout his life, but none of us knew he wouldn’t walk back down that day.

“I don’t have the words. All I can say is that he was, and always will be, my absolute hero.

“He encouraged me to dream big and loved me wholeheartedly, and for that I will be forever grateful. Until we meet again, Dad.”