Arbeloa: “We approach El Clásico with the ambition to do things well and go for the win”
"I am proud of the decisiveness and transparency with which the club has acted and that the players have expressed their remorse and apologized,” added our coach.
Álvaro Arbeloa appeared in the press room of Ciudad Real Madrid on the day before El Clásico of matchday 35 of La Liga, which will take place at the Camp Nou (Sunday, 9:00 pm CEST; Orange TV and Movistar LaLiga): “I hope it will be a great match against a great opponent, who is performing well in La Liga at their home ground. They count their matches as victories and are playing great football. We are very eager to play, undoubtedly, the match that attracts the most attention in the world, and we have that ambition to do things well and to go for the win.”
What happened in recent days
“I have to tell you two things. First, I am very proud of the decisiveness, speed, and transparency with which the club has acted. And second, the players have already expressed their remorse, acknowledged their mistake, taken responsibility for their actions, and apologized to the fans, the club, and the dressing room. For me, that is enough. What I am not going to do is publicly burn my players because neither of them deserves that. Neither Fede Valverde nor Aurélien Tchouameni. For what they have done for this club over so many years, and I have felt it myself as a fan, for these four months, for what they have shown me day by day—both their commitment, their effort, their love for this jersey—I will not forget that.”
“I always use an example, and I talk a lot with his son Roberto so that he knows that when I talk about him, I speak from affection and honor. For me, there is a player who represents and is the paradigm of what a Real Madrid player should be, and that is Juanito. And I believe that we madridistas are very proud of him. He is the only player we sing about at every match because he understood what Real Madrid is. He was not only a player with extraordinary talent but always defended this badge, gave his all in every match. How could I not make a mistake myself? And I would never place myself at his level, but if we love him for something, it is because we feel he was one of us, who also made mistakes like anyone can.”
“I believe that Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni are two players who perfectly represent what Real Madrid stands for. They deserve for us to turn the page and give them an opportunity to keep fighting for this club. These are two players who are European champions with Real Madrid, something not every player who has passed through here can say, and I am very proud of them.”
“I will not allow all of this to be used to question the professionalism of my players. Many lies are being told. It is a lie that my players are not professional. It is a lie that my players have disrespected me even once. It is absolutely false, just as it is false that some of them don't play because of issues with me or because their lifestyle doesn’t align with what is expected of a Real Madrid player. I won’t allow this because it is entirely untrue.” “I, first and foremost, alongside my players, take responsibility for the fact that the season is probably not meeting the expectations of our fans in terms of sports performance. But I’ve been here for four months, and I am very proud of my players. Above all, I am very grateful for how they welcomed me in a situation that was not easy given where we were coming from, because the demands of this club are immense. It’s clear that sometimes, with frustration and anger, situations arise that we don’t want. But we must use that frustration and anger to put on a great performance tomorrow. That’s what we need to do, what we need to focus on, and where we must channel all our energy.” Do you feel responsible for the situation?“Absolutely. I am responsible for everything that happens at Real Madrid, and if you want to assign blame, here I am.” Have you ever seen a situation like this during your time with the first team?
“I had a teammate who took a golf club and hit another player with it. For me, the most serious thing, and what hurts me the most, and I’ve told my players this, is that what happens in Real Madrid’s dressing room should stay in Real Madrid’s dressing room. That’s what pains me the most. These are situations that don’t represent Real Madrid because they’re situations that shouldn’t happen between teammates. Such things have always happened everywhere, and with this, I’m not justifying it at all. But I’ve experienced even worse situations.” “What happened yesterday was also an incident because we were unlucky that it ended with Fede getting a cut. But it was an incident more related to bad luck than to what actually happened. This is an issue we need to resolve, and the club did well to address it yesterday. The players have taken responsibility, apologized, and are now ready to defend the Real Madrid jersey. In Fede’s case, he will have to wait a few days.” Do Real Madrid players have too much power?
“I’ll say the same thing I said two minutes ago. When a Real Madrid player doesn’t play, it’s purely a sporting decision. Maybe in other teams, 22 players can play, but I can only field 11. And when I choose those 11, it’s not because I’m unhappy with the ones who don’t play, but because I choose the players I think deserve it or are the best fit for that match. Many lies have been told about players not playing because they’ve had problems with me, because I’m not happy with their professionalism, or other stories that aren’t just untrue—they’re absolutely false.” “What matters to me is what our fans think. They can trust this squad and these players. The only thing they should demand from us is that Real Madrid must win again. We know that going two years in this house without winning is not easy. We’ve also been through situations like this in our history, and surely the younger fans don’t remember. Difficult times like going 30 years without winning a European Cup, or the 12 years between the Ninth and the Tenth. I arrived here when the club had gone five years without getting past the Round of 16, and we even stayed another year without doing it. But we have to face this together, fans and club.” “There is no one better prepared than our president to turn this situation around. I remember very well how the club was before his arrival and what he has achieved. He is surely the president with the most titles in the club’s history and has brought Real Madrid to where it deserves to be. With all of this, we have to fight to bring Real Madrid back to where it belongs.” Why wasn’t the situation stopped?
“My office isn’t inside Real Madrid’s dressing room. I wish it were, so I could be responsible for everything that happens and control absolutely everything. If the understanding of this situation is that the coach should have stopped all of this, I accept that. It’s a situation that’s not pleasant, and the players know they made a mistake. It must serve as an example for everyone. We must turn the page, learn, and continue on the path of Real Madrid, never forgetting that tomorrow there is a Barcelona-Real Madrid match.” Enjoy all the videos from this match on RM Play Is the dressing room healthy and up to Real Madrid’s standards?
“Of course, yes. It’s not easy to handle two winless seasons. To be a Real Madrid player, you need great ambition, high self-demand, and the desire to always win. Every player has a lot at stake, including their prestige. They also have the responsibility of defending and living up to this crest, so it’s surely not an easy situation for everyone to handle. We must do better, change, reflect, and start again to become stronger. I see a healthy dressing room, I truly mean it, and one that is ready to win again. It’s a younger dressing room than the one I was part of during my seven years at Real Madrid, and all these experiences will help them grow. I am confident that next year they will come back with more energy, strength, experience, and a better understanding of what this crest means. Nothing in these four months makes me say that I’m not happy and proud of this dressing room.” Mbappé and Carreras
“To take out of context a player smiling after training is to exploit a situation to misrepresent things. Just like when I fielded Carreras at Espanyol’s ground right after a teammate got injured and another was set to come on. I can only vouch for Álvaro Carreras, for his professionalism, the way he has always treated me and all his teammates, and for how well he is working. He is a very young player with a lot of potential, and when he has played, it’s because he earned it. When he hasn’t, it’s because another teammate deserved it more.”
“I believe that Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni are two players who perfectly represent what Real Madrid stands for. They deserve for us to turn the page and give them an opportunity to keep fighting for this club. These are two players who are European champions with Real Madrid, something not every player who has passed through here can say, and I am very proud of them.”
“I will not allow all of this to be used to question the professionalism of my players. Many lies are being told. It is a lie that my players are not professional. It is a lie that my players have disrespected me even once. It is absolutely false, just as it is false that some of them don't play because of issues with me or because their lifestyle doesn’t align with what is expected of a Real Madrid player. I won’t allow this because it is entirely untrue.” “I, first and foremost, alongside my players, take responsibility for the fact that the season is probably not meeting the expectations of our fans in terms of sports performance. But I’ve been here for four months, and I am very proud of my players. Above all, I am very grateful for how they welcomed me in a situation that was not easy given where we were coming from, because the demands of this club are immense. It’s clear that sometimes, with frustration and anger, situations arise that we don’t want. But we must use that frustration and anger to put on a great performance tomorrow. That’s what we need to do, what we need to focus on, and where we must channel all our energy.” Do you feel responsible for the situation?“Absolutely. I am responsible for everything that happens at Real Madrid, and if you want to assign blame, here I am.” Have you ever seen a situation like this during your time with the first team?
“I had a teammate who took a golf club and hit another player with it. For me, the most serious thing, and what hurts me the most, and I’ve told my players this, is that what happens in Real Madrid’s dressing room should stay in Real Madrid’s dressing room. That’s what pains me the most. These are situations that don’t represent Real Madrid because they’re situations that shouldn’t happen between teammates. Such things have always happened everywhere, and with this, I’m not justifying it at all. But I’ve experienced even worse situations.” “What happened yesterday was also an incident because we were unlucky that it ended with Fede getting a cut. But it was an incident more related to bad luck than to what actually happened. This is an issue we need to resolve, and the club did well to address it yesterday. The players have taken responsibility, apologized, and are now ready to defend the Real Madrid jersey. In Fede’s case, he will have to wait a few days.” Do Real Madrid players have too much power?
“I’ll say the same thing I said two minutes ago. When a Real Madrid player doesn’t play, it’s purely a sporting decision. Maybe in other teams, 22 players can play, but I can only field 11. And when I choose those 11, it’s not because I’m unhappy with the ones who don’t play, but because I choose the players I think deserve it or are the best fit for that match. Many lies have been told about players not playing because they’ve had problems with me, because I’m not happy with their professionalism, or other stories that aren’t just untrue—they’re absolutely false.” “What matters to me is what our fans think. They can trust this squad and these players. The only thing they should demand from us is that Real Madrid must win again. We know that going two years in this house without winning is not easy. We’ve also been through situations like this in our history, and surely the younger fans don’t remember. Difficult times like going 30 years without winning a European Cup, or the 12 years between the Ninth and the Tenth. I arrived here when the club had gone five years without getting past the Round of 16, and we even stayed another year without doing it. But we have to face this together, fans and club.” “There is no one better prepared than our president to turn this situation around. I remember very well how the club was before his arrival and what he has achieved. He is surely the president with the most titles in the club’s history and has brought Real Madrid to where it deserves to be. With all of this, we have to fight to bring Real Madrid back to where it belongs.” Why wasn’t the situation stopped?
“My office isn’t inside Real Madrid’s dressing room. I wish it were, so I could be responsible for everything that happens and control absolutely everything. If the understanding of this situation is that the coach should have stopped all of this, I accept that. It’s a situation that’s not pleasant, and the players know they made a mistake. It must serve as an example for everyone. We must turn the page, learn, and continue on the path of Real Madrid, never forgetting that tomorrow there is a Barcelona-Real Madrid match.” Enjoy all the videos from this match on RM Play Is the dressing room healthy and up to Real Madrid’s standards?
“Of course, yes. It’s not easy to handle two winless seasons. To be a Real Madrid player, you need great ambition, high self-demand, and the desire to always win. Every player has a lot at stake, including their prestige. They also have the responsibility of defending and living up to this crest, so it’s surely not an easy situation for everyone to handle. We must do better, change, reflect, and start again to become stronger. I see a healthy dressing room, I truly mean it, and one that is ready to win again. It’s a younger dressing room than the one I was part of during my seven years at Real Madrid, and all these experiences will help them grow. I am confident that next year they will come back with more energy, strength, experience, and a better understanding of what this crest means. Nothing in these four months makes me say that I’m not happy and proud of this dressing room.” Mbappé and Carreras
“To take out of context a player smiling after training is to exploit a situation to misrepresent things. Just like when I fielded Carreras at Espanyol’s ground right after a teammate got injured and another was set to come on. I can only vouch for Álvaro Carreras, for his professionalism, the way he has always treated me and all his teammates, and for how well he is working. He is a very young player with a lot of potential, and when he has played, it’s because he earned it. When he hasn’t, it’s because another teammate deserved it more.” “In the case of Kylian Mbappé, all madridistas know the effort he made to come to Real Madrid. He had absolutely everything at his previous team and had to give up many things to be at the club of his dreams. We have all seen Kylian as a child wearing Real Madrid tracksuits. What I do is focus on what my players do on the training field. Real Madrid players, like any player in the world, must feel that the coach has authority regardless of the length of their contract, because in the end, they are respecting the Real Madrid coach, and I believe, as a player, that is the most important thing.” Leaks
“That things happening in the locker room are leaked seems to me a betrayal of Real Madrid, an absolute disloyalty to this badge, and it saddens me greatly.” Do you still think Mourinho is ‘uno di noi’?
“Yes.” Have you identified the leaks?
“No, I don’t work for the CIA or anything like that. And in Real Madrid’s locker room, I’m not accusing the players or anyone else because I can’t do that. There are many people around the first team, and I’m not here to point fingers at anyone. I try to set an example, and what happens in my private conversations with the players will always remain between them and me. I believe this is the way I should act, to feel what this locker room should be and to set an example for my players and the entire club.” Was something missing in the coach's management to prevent these things?
“No. The only thing that worries me is how I could have done better to make my team win more matches. I believe there have been very difficult moments during these four months. I know the situation I found when I arrived and what we have been through. We have won very challenging matches, like the tie against City with many absences. It’s a team with a great squad, a fantastic coach, that won the Arsenal cup, a Champions League finalist. They beat Chelsea 0-3 at their home ground and Liverpool 4-0. And we did it by winning both matches. We also won both matches against Benfica, a team that hasn’t lost a single match in their league. We beat a great Atlético and have played great matches, and the players have put in a great effort. I feel that on the day of Bayern, there were things in football that are beyond our control, and I often ask myself what I could have done better to win the matches we missed in the league. What worries me most and what I reflect on most is how to make my players, my team, better and how I could have helped them more to win under the circumstances we’ve faced and what I’ve had to deal with.” Sporting punishments?
“Tomorrow, Tchouameni will be in the squad.” Relationship between what happens in the locker room and on the field
“There has been a lot of criticism that I didn’t talk about tactical concepts, more technical aspects, and that I have always emphasized the values I wanted to see from my team. It seems that last week what I said caught a lot of attention, and I think it’s what I’ve always been saying. We can do things better or worse on the field, but there’s something that represents Real Madrid and that a team must always reflect: effort, teamwork, solidarity, ambition, and passion. And we must demonstrate that always. There’s no excuse for not showing that every day. Then, tactically or in terms of football, there are surely many things we need to work on and improve, but for me, that must never be lacking in a team, especially not in a Real Madrid team.” What do you think about the captaincy assignment model?
“I am very pleased with the work and efforts of my four captains.” Future
“I focus on wanting to win tomorrow’s match, which is the future that occupies me and where all my energy is directed.”
Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.