Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media before his team played against Monaco (Tuesday, 21:00). The Real Madrid manager defended Vinicius against the whistle, encouraged him to support his team at the Bernabéu and reaffirmed his position against Florentino.
team
Vinicius went straight to the locker room after Real Madrid’s win at the Bernabéu
“The team is doing well and after Saturday’s win we are looking forward to it as we know it is a very important tournament. A win tomorrow will get us closer to that goal. We recognize the importance of the tournament.”
Conversation with Vinny during training
“Someone was combing their hair, putting on perfume…it was just a funny anecdote, and other than that, not much else.”
vinicius whistle
“What I want is support for all the players at the Bernabéu, especially Vinicius,” he said. “He has written his own history for many years. He has given us two Champions League titles and he needs the best from the fans. He has a big heart and is very emotional. His football is also emotional. As a coach, I want the Bernabéu next to Vinicius and all the players.”
Does it lack a brain?
“I have a great team. I have been with them for the last six days and I realized that they are better than I expected. And I came to fight for every title. I will do whatever it takes to fight for them. And I want the fans to be with us too. Madrid won the title because the Bernabéu was on their side. If you ask our rivals, they all talk about the atmosphere at the Bernabéu.”
How should they react to the whistle?
“It’s the same as the other day. They ran, worked hard and were off balance. It was a very good second half. What we want to see is Vinicius and Jude. They are two of the best in the world and the fans need to get the best out of them too.”
Statement about Florentino
“It may not have been clear. As a youth player, as a player, I respect the opinion of the Bernabéu. The whistle has weakened Madrid and there is a campaign going on. I know who is orchestrating it and they are not going to fool me. You are the journalists, I am the coach of Madrid. The match against Monaco takes up my time, so does my team. That is where I am giving all my attention.”
Ancelotti’s visit
“I don’t know if he’ll be there tomorrow. He didn’t come to say hi. If he’s there, I hope he’ll come and meet the players. For me, it was an honor to have him coach me. There’s not much to say about his qualifications as a coach. I would love to meet him and give him a big hug.”
Ancelotti’s famous quote
“I think this badge requires effort. That’s how I feel with the players. They have an extraordinary attitude. I’ve seen them press, drop, gather, bite. There’s no question that effort is the most important thing. I’ve seen that since I’ve been here.”
Debate about who is a madridista
“They seem to be very worried about the whistle. I know what the Bernabéu crowd is like. If the fans have something to say, it’s fair. We’re trying and we know they’ll be on our side.”
Learn more about Vinicius
“Vinicius is going to be on the pitch whenever he is available and perform as he knows how. I have said this many times about him in the last five press conferences. As a manager, if you want to win titles, you need him on the pitch, not off it.”
