Arbeloa confirms he will leave Real Madrid

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa announced on Friday that he will not continue next season as the head coach of the team and that he is "prepared for new challenges," reported Xinhua.

The fact that Arbeloa will not continue as coach next season, with Jose Mourinho expected to return for a second spell in charge, was virtually an open secret, but some had tipped Arbeloa to continue with some role at the club that he represented first as a player and then as a coach in the club's youth system.

However, speaking to the press ahead of Saturday's final La Liga game of the season, at home to Athletic Bilbao, Arbeloa said he would leave the club.

"Mou has a fantastic technical team, he's got good people around him, if he comes to Madrid, he will come with his team. There's no chance that I would be with him, so I'll think about that on Monday," he said.

Arbeloa was promoted from Real Madrid's B-team in January after Xabi Alonso was sacked, but has failed to produce an upturn in results, and Real Madrid ended the season without any trophies and with rumors of bad relationships between players in the dressing room.

Despite his disappointing time in the dugout at the Santiago Bernabeu, Arbeloa said he would like to return one day.

"I've always considered this my home. I've belonged to Madrid for 20 years in various roles. It will be my last game this season as coach of Real Madrid. I don't know if it will be the last game of my life as coach of Real Madrid," he commented.