Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media after his team’s 4-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday night. He was asked about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s performance, to which he said: “I won’t say he surprised me, but he seems like a very intelligent lad who understands the game very well and quickly grasps what we want from him. He’s not your typical full-back who’s always going to be wide; he can also play centrally. We’re lucky to have a player like that. With Gonzalo in the box, he could
look for crosses. He’s a great player; I’m not going to discover that now. I’m happy that he continues to get playing time, find his rhythm, and keep getting back to his best form.
“It’s been a very pleasant surprise to see how he understands the game, how he sees the spaces. Things that are very important for a coach: having players who understand what’s wanted. Not just the passing to get the team running, but to implement everything we want from him.”
Arbeloa on the win
“Great match, considering the opponent and their streak. Unbeaten under Mattarazo… We’ve had a great week of training, we prepared very well and it showed on the pitch. We knew they would be aggressive, that they would press high, and that they could also drop deep and counter-attack. We knew they were the team that shoots the most on the counter-attack. We had to know how to defend when necessary. We did it well.”
Arbeloa on how well the team played
“I love these kinds of victories because I see the Bernabéu crowd enjoying themselves, and the players too. I wish every match could be like this, I really do. I’m happy with how we worked and prepared this week. Big teams hadn’t been able to beat this Real Sociedad side, who were undefeated. This is going to be a long season. Every matchday will be worth three crucial points. Week after week, we’ll approach each game in the best possible way, with the goal of winning.“
Arbeloa on the Benfica game
“We remember the Lisbon match very well, the difficulty it presents, the atmosphere. The aggression not only from Mourinho’s teams, but from that match in particular. We’ll try to bring back the victory and not think about the return leg.
“I hope history doesn’t repeat itself. We’re prepared for what awaits us there on Tuesday. It’s a two-legged tie. We have to go out there and play a great game and win.”
Arbeloa on Dean Huijsen
“The Real Sociedad player did very well on the penalty, and that’s the nature of being a defender: you can play brilliantly for 90 minutes and then lose a game with one mistake, but that wasn’t the case for him. We have to remember that he’s only 20 years old, it’s his first season at Real Madrid, and it’s very difficult to be a defender here.”
Arbeloa on Dani Carvajal
“He took the first step today. It was a very good 30 minutes; I liked the ovation from the stadium, he deserves it. We have many matches ahead. He and Trent are coming off a period of injury and can’t play 90 minutes every three days. My goal is to have them both at 100%.”
Arbeloa on Kylian Mbappé
“Mbappé has been dealing with this discomfort for quite some time. He’s putting in a huge effort every time he goes out on the pitch, and today we decided not to take any risks ahead of Tuesday. I think he’ll be available.”
Arbeloa on the defense
“Today we played a great game defensively, but in the first half we also looked more fluid in the opposition’s half, with greater mobility, able to move the ball around more quickly. It’s worth noting that we’ve worked very well during the week. Real Sociedad came into the game in a situation we sometimes find ourselves in, having played a midweek match, while our opponents hadn’t. We’ve had a week of focused training, and I think that showed from the start.”
Arbeloa on Vinicius Jr
“I’ve been seeing a great Vinicius for a month now, not just in this one game. He’s been playing at a very high level, being a real game-changer. For me, he’s a player who goes beyond the numbers, capable of turning matches around. He’s a guy with a huge heart and a great teammate. We’re lucky to have him.”
Arbeloa on the 4-4-2
“Defensively, it’s a structure that closes down the midfield corridor, where more players are positioned, and allows us to be more compact. With the type of players we have, if we want to counter-attack, it also allows us to do so. We have a lot of room for improvement. I’m very happy because, beyond the systems, the key is effort, mentality, and teamwork, and we’re doing that.”
