aCoach Lubalo Arbeloa held a press conference before the match against Alaves and had plenty of time to analyze the situation of the club and the team, which has already finished its second season without a title, barring a miracle. Coach’s arrival has thrown the campaign out of balance and what can be done to change that trend. At times it sounded like a breakup, especially when he made it clear he didn’t regret anything he did or said. He once again committed his future to the club, telling the Spanish referee against Alavés: “They have the same needs and we have the same needs. We must have the ambition to play in front of the fans, to be very motivated and to play a great game.”
We haven’t won a title in two years, but what needs to change?: “Most of the time things go well at Madrid, but sometimes things don’t go our way. The mentality of this club is to look to the future and I always say that wins and losses are not worth it here. It’s been 20 years since something like this happened. We have to win seven games and once that’s over we have to think about what we need to do well.”
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If you want continuity with your coach as a member, say: “I’m a Madrid fan, but I’m the Madrid coach and this decision has nothing to do with me. I’m not worried about the future, but right now these seven games are all that matters.”
Your opinion on what’s happening in the dressing room: “Once again, these decisions are up to the club. I am in direct communication with the club every week. These games are more important than they seem.”
“In terms of our performance, we certainly have room for improvement. In recent months, we have performed in big events. As for the last three months, we have a lot of room for improvement. There are situations like the one we had against Girona, and it is easier for Madrid to win the Champions League than La Liga. That says a lot.”
Ancelotti spoke about achieving the transition with new leaders, but how does he see it: “We have leaders like Carvajal, Militão, Alaba, Valverde, Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe… but we also have a very young team. There are a lot of players that we would like to ask too soon, but we also have a lot of experienced leaders. But we also have a lot of young players and they are working well.”
How are you?: “Thank you for your interest. I am always in good spirits. I felt the pride of the Madrid fans for the game our team played on Wednesday. We are united as a family, proud of the way our team played and we hope for tomorrow at the Bernabéu. The feeling in the city is that we have been deprived of a place in the semi-finals. I could feel it.”
If not for regrets, he lavished praise on the club, the president and the players: “I’ve always done what I believed in at every moment and I’ve never put my form before the club. There’s a lot to improve on, the players and I both know that. And everything I said was because that’s how I felt and that’s what I think.”
What about Camavinga? “He is injured, like all the players. It was a serious mistake on the part of the referee, because obviously he did not know that he had a card. These are mistakes that should not be made in Champions League matches. He has won the Champions League twice, played in the World Cup and the European Championship at the age of 24. He has played a lot of good games, has a lot of confidence from the club and I hope he can be with us for many years to come.”
On the relationship with the dressing room: “There was no feeling of camaraderie or friendship. Just because we have a good relationship doesn’t mean we can’t impose or make demands. It’s a relationship that has to be accepted and the most important thing is that everyone wants to play. There’s a good atmosphere and sometimes you’re told to your face what you don’t like.”
If he was worried about the atmosphere at the Bernabéu, he said: “I’m not worried. I think people are with the team and we have to show that we want to win. Tomorrow we have to show ambition like they did in the big games, but that’s a challenge we have to keep improving on.”
Güler on what he’s seen of him over the past three months: “It’s been a very intense three months. We’ve been through a lot. When I came, they said he didn’t play any important games, but look at what he did against City and against Bayern. I was able to work with him and it wasn’t without sacrifices. He has to learn from his mistakes and that’s a big reward for his season.”
Two of Mbappé’s actions against Bayern did not go well: “You can’t be angry at anything Kylian did. He played in line with his player level. He made a huge sacrifice. We watched the game many times and I’m really happy with what he did. He’s always been dangerous for Bayern and he’s the Kylian we want to see every day.”
To what extent is it a condition to take over the team in the middle of the season: “Obviously arriving in the middle of the season is not the same, and there are situations such as injuries. But for me the obvious is not worth pondering any further. We have a great team. I don’t think we need a revolution to compete for the title. We will fight to win again.”
