Arbeloa's Rocky Start: Fulham Falls Short in Pre-Season Friendly

Fulham's new head coach Álvaro Arbeloa suffered a disappointing start to his tenure, as his team fell 2-0 to Norwich City in their pre-season friendly on July 25. This was Arbeloa's first match in charge of Fulham after being appointed just 18 days prior, when he signed a three-year contract.

Arbeloa, who has only briefly coached at Real Madrid before taking the helm in England, replaced Marco Silva, who left for Benfica after several successful seasons with Fulham. This was Arbeloa's first managerial role outside of Spain, making it a significant step up in his coaching career.

The loss to Norwich City, their fifth consecutive pre-season victory, was not seen as a major concern by crypto betting markets. The defeat was anticipated by some on these platforms, but it did little to raise alarm bells about Arbeloa's chances of success at Fulham.