Alvaro Arbeloa attended the press conference for the preview of the game against Elche at the Bernabéu (Saturday, 9pm, Orange TV and Movistar La Liga) and analyzed all the Real Madrid news after the dramatic victory over City in the Champions League. The Spanish coach has opened the door to hope with Mbappé… and there is also the possibility of another youth player joining the white starting line-up Elche: “We will go into it with the mindset that we are playing for the league. It is a very important game on our field and a very similar atmosphere to Wednesday. The opponent is playing very well and is better than the points they have. It was complicated in the first leg and we know the difficulty of the opponent, so we are ready to try harder. All we have in mind is to win against them. ”
More effort: “There are only players who are willing to work, who are dedicated, who raised their hands knowing that it is an important game. Tomorrow we will play with the best possible team to win against Elche, but we are not thinking about anything other than that game. After every game, the players die and have to go home, recover and think about the next game. Every three days they have to give their best and be ready to run and fight like they did last Wednesday.”
Mbappe: “It’s not a difficult time. He’s getting better day by day and he’s evolving based on the plan we made when we stopped and did the tests. He’s doing very well. He won’t be there tomorrow, but we believe he’s ready for Manchester.”
Casillas/Courtois: “I have played with some of the best goalkeepers in the world and they have come to be considered among the best goalkeepers in history, but what I saw Courtois do I have never seen anyone else do. I am convinced that we are watching the best goalkeeper in the history of Real Madrid.”
Blakes: “There are only players who raised their hands to give an extra effort, because they know how important tomorrow’s game is. We are Madrid and they are special players, made of a different paste. We have to become a great team again.”
On running more in the Champions League: “The data I have doesn’t tell me that. We run very similar distances…a little bit more intensity and sprinting. Those are amazing physical stats, but football can’t be explained only by the physical. It doesn’t mean you have to run. We are a short team in terms of running distance… but we run a lot more than our rivals in terms of intensity. We won all the balls the other day and helped each other a lot. “That’s Madrid, that’s our DNA. ”
Mbappe’s plan: “You have taken me very far. I want him to be able to go to Manchester. We will see him tomorrow and make the final decision on Sunday.”
Manuel Ángel and his size: “For me, his size is the size of his heart, which is huge. I was very lucky to play with great people, top people who are no taller than 1.60 cm. They were sensational players, and they should be. Manuel Ángel has no problem being a first-division player. I already saw in Vigo how he wins the ball on the ground. He’s one of my right eyes.”
Comparison of the win against City and Pep: “Nothing, I don’t swim in praise. The next setback, which hopefully never comes, I will be looked at with a magnifying glass again. That’s normal, it’s not my fault, it’s because I’m sitting in this chair. I’m here, People who have won many Champions Leagues… have had a lot of doubts and criticism throughout their time at Madrid. This is what this position entails and I’m not too worried about it. “We have to get the best out of every player in that regard. ”
Changes in the team and physical level: “We will carry out the analysis that everyone has considered and come to the desired conclusion. Pintas is professional and has helped us a lot. We hope that we can continue to do well in the second half.”
Will Thiago remain in the first team until the end of the season?: “The players have to remain humble and continue to work. There is a lot of attention on them, but they have to continue to work hard. As long as they continue to do that, they have to earn minutes on the field. They must not lose the mentality and effort that brought them here. He is giving a good version and will stay here. Maybe we will see more tomorrow.”
Is it that complicated to replace the chip?: “It’s very complicated and it’s never easy. We have to have a level of self-demand and motivation that is comparable to the level we had the other day. That happens with all teams, including Elche. They will come to the Bernabéu with even higher motivation. That’s why. It’s very difficult to be a Real Madrid player. You have to give your all and give your all. That’s how we will go into the game tomorrow, there’s no doubt about it. “Or you can make excuses for not having a great game tomorrow. ”
