Arbeloa: "Vini Jr. played an incredible match, he’s a leader and a threat every time he gets the ball"

Álvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media in the press room at the RCDE Stadium and analyzed the victory against Espanyol in the 34th matchday of LaLiga: “Vini Jr.'s performance is easy to evaluate. He played an incredible match, scoring two fantastic goals, being the leader in the team's offensive play, and a threat every time he gets the ball. He is very aggressive, intelligent, brave, consistent...”

“I reserved him a bit; I didn’t want to risk him missing the Clásico, which is why I made the substitution. Another game where he did an excellent job, also helping us defensively, which is something I always appreciate. I value the work he does in helping the team and when he connects with our midfield. As I’ve been saying these past months: a fantastic player, a natural leader, a teammate everyone admires, a great person… Very proud to have him as a player; I’m incredibly fortunate.”

Mbappé's trip
“All the injury management planning is supervised and handled by the Real Madrid Medical Services, who decide when players need to go to Valdebebas and when they don’t. Each player, in their free time, does what they see fit, and I cannot intervene in that.”

Do you think there are differences in commitment between Vini Jr. and Mbappé?
“I don't make comparisons between players. I think we need everyone. I've always said this since I’ve been in this position: to win any match, you need the commitment of all the players. I often say it pains me when we see other teams running more than us. And it’s not just about when we don’t have the ball; we also need to focus on being a team with high mobility and making many more runs, even when we are in possession. It’s not easy because to receive the ball, you might need to make ten runs.”

Talent alone is not enough
“We need the commitment of all players to press, defend, and attack. Nowadays, if you want to be a very complete team and difficult for opponents to beat, as I said yesterday, talent alone is not enough. I like to see players understand not only that commitment is important but that it is one of the core values of Real Madrid. When we talk about what Real Madrid is and how it has been built, we haven’t created what it is today with players who step onto the field dressed in tuxedos, but with players who end the game with their shirts soaked in sweat, covered in mud, effort, sacrifice, perseverance...”

Enjoy all the videos from this match on RM Play

“Since this team always brings in the best players in the world, when they understand what Real Madrid is, what its values are, and what has made it great, that’s when talent combines with commitment and effort, making us the best team in the world. But above all, it’s about who we are and how we’ve built Real Madrid’s history.”

People upset with Mbappé
“I don’t doubt the commitment of any of my players. I believe they all understand how important these matches are for us. When you defend the Real Madrid jersey and when you are part of this club, you understand the demands of this institution. We are a club where, fortunately, there has never been, is not, and will never be a player bigger than Real Madrid. I think all my players understand this perfectly. What it represents, where they are, how important it is, and how lucky we all are to be here.”

Will Mbappé and Carvajal make it to the Clásico?
“Let’s see how Mbappé progresses this week. After last week’s tests, it seemed it might take a bit longer, but we’ll see how he evolves. As for Carvajal, I still have high hopes that he can play before the end of the season, recover, and finish the season on the pitch, which is what Carvajal deserves.”

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.