A historic achievement for Real Madrid and their coach Álvaro Arbeloa in the Champions League: he has become the first manager in the club’s history to defeat both José Mourinho and Pep Guardiola in the same edition of the tournament, winning the playoff ties against Benfica and then against Manchester City.
This success sets Arbeloa apart from iconic names such as Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, who—despite winning numerous trophies with the Spanish giants—never managed to eliminate both coaches in a single Champions League campaign, as reported by Diario Sport.
Real Madrid first overcame Mourinho’s Benfica with a strong performance in the playoff round, and then dominated Guardiola’s Manchester City in the first leg of the Round of 16, securing a clear advantage that ensured qualification to the next stage.
Arbeloa’s achievement is only the third instance in Champions League history of a coach defeating both of these managers in the same season—a statistic that places him in a rare category among his peers.
