Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa looked far more relaxed on Friday night after his side picked up a win in extremis against Celta Vigo than he did on Thursday before the game. Fede Valverde’s stoppage time strike kept Los Blancos very much in the title race, cutting the gap down to just a point; Barcelona could have extended it to six if the Uruguayan had not come up with the goods.
In a strange game, an open first half subsided into a controlled performance for Real Madrid in the second half, albeit one without clear chances. Arbeloa was asked what Real Madrid were trying to do with their game plan after the match.
“To win the game, that’s what Real Madrid plays for. That’s what we want and the objective we had today (smiles).”
“There’s no better way to celebrate these 124 years of history of the best club in the world than this. The way Real Madrid does it: fighting against everything and everyone. In a match we came into with so many difficulties and absences. I think we have to celebrate it for how it unfolded. And for how the players fought,” he told RMTV, as quoted by Diario AS.
‘This is Real Madrid, fighting to the end, character’
Arbeloa was keen for the late victory to be a point of inflection, feeling his side demonstrated the necessary personality that he needed to see in difficult conditions.
“Hopefully. For me, it’s a very important one, because it changes how you approach Wednesday’s game. And it guides the kind of game we want to play. This is Real Madrid: fighting until the end, battling. Character. Hopefully, it’s a turning point and from here on out, everything will go much better.”
“There’s still a long way to go: 33 points. At this stage, it’s almost as if the season hasn’t even started. Now everyone has so much at stake, and every match is a battle. The game we played was truly impressive, considering how tough Celta is and the number of players out injured. I’m very, very happy with the character shown, with the fans who wanted to push forward, with the fans who came out to support us. These are the moments when you see the true mettle of Real Madrid players, and today I saw a lot of them.”
‘We need to value the academy more’ – Arbeloa
With Real Madrid down to the bare bones, Arbeloa started midfielder Thiago Pitarch for a second straight game, and two of his substitutes were Castilla players too. Manuel Angel and Cesar Palacios both played a role in the winning goal.
“We have to give him [Pitarch] a lot of credit for what he’s done, and today, once again. He has personality, effort, the ability to press, he always wants the ball, he looks for the best option… we need players as dynamic as him to attack these kinds of defenses. Players with that kind of mobility. Today we have to recognize the great game he played. How Palacios and Manuel Angel played…”
“We have a youth academy that needs to be valued more. Obviously, the best players in the world come here, but we have very high-quality academy players, and the way they all played is great news.”
On Pitarch more generally, Arbeloa was asked if he was one of the big positives from this season for Real Madrid.
“It’s excellent news. It’s been a long time since a youth player has come up from Castilla and established himself. The last ones were Gonzalo [Garcia], [Raul] Asencio… it’s always good news when an 18-year-old, perhaps Raul and Gonzalo were a bit more mature, gets the starting spot. But it’s good that he’s settling in and playing. He’s earning his minutes; it’s not a matter of my confidence in him, but of his football. And he fits the mould perfectly of a Real Madrid player. In terms of football and effort, he embodies the ‘Real Madrid brand’.”
Arda Guler change and Ferland Mendy’s performance
On the other hand, one of the players that Palacios replaced just after the hour-mark was Arda Guler. The Turkish playmaker looked highly displeased by the decision, and Arbeloa was asked if there was a physical reason that he had been taken off.
“No, no, no… I don’t know if there’s any coach who’s given him more minutes than I have. I’d like to know. I don’t think so. I’ve had a lot of faith in him, and that’s very important. I’m very happy with him, with how he works and the quality he has. Let’s keep going, let’s keep pushing. Today we all won.”
At the opposite end of the spectrum was Ferland Mendy, who had played just 22 minutes since November, but started and was given the full 90 minutes.
“It’s my fault… He’s been out of action for many months. And obviously, we took a risk, because playing 90 minutes after so long isn’t ideal for me. But given how the game unfolded, I think it was necessary. He’s shown that every time he’s on the pitch, it’s easier for Real Madrid to win. And that’s saying something. But I’m very happy with him because of how he works, how he trains; because he always has a smile, and when you’re not playing, it’s not easy. We need players like him, who know how to wait for their opportunity and perform like he did.”
Los Blancos take on Manchester City next in the Champions League on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu, in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.
