Arbeloa reveals what he told Real Madrid players after Copa loss

New Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has given his vision for the team going forward, discussing the potential roles of Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham. After a harrowing first game against Albacete, Arbeloa also revealed his team talk after the game.

Their Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Albacete already has Arbeloa under pressure, and following a Supercup defeat to Barcelona too, the talk is that the Bernabeu could be set to whistle the players on their return home. Arbeloa asked the fans for their support though.

“I have a lot of respect for the Bernabeu’s opinion. I understand that Madrid fans are hurt and disappointed with us, but I’m going to ask for their support. In Real Madrid’s 123-year history, titles have only been won when the Bernabeu has been behind the players. Juanito said that ’90 minutes at the Bernabeu are very long’ – when the Bernabeu is with our players. That’s what I’m going to ask of them.”

Arbeloa was vague on his plans for how Real Madrid would play under him, and again was asked about his vision. For a second time, he gave little away about what he wanted tactically, speaking more about personality.

“I want to see a Real Madrid team that goes out to win from the first minute, where there is no doubt that our objective is to attack the opponent’s goal. I want the Bernabeu to know what we want. I want a team with a lot of character, a lot of personality, and that inspires. I want the Bernabeu crowd to see themselves reflected in their players.”

Jude Bellingham’s role under Arbeloa

One of the criticisms of Arbeloa’s predecessor Xabi Alonso was that he failed to find a role that got the best out of Jude Bellingham. Arbeloa, like Alonso in his first press conference, said he wanted to exploit Bellingham’s best

“We’ve trained together for a couple of days, and you can see up close what kind of player he is. He has to be another leader on this team. I always like to have players who are very mobile, and Jude has the ability to create and build attacks. I’ll ask him to be a key player. He also has the ability to get into the box, and we have to take advantage of that.”

Fede Valverde will not be locked into one position

Another question mark for Alonso was the use of Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan struggled in central midfield, and performed at right-back, but publicly voiced his displeasure at being used in defence.

“The great thing about Fede is that he could also do well in goal. He’s such a talented player that he could excel anywhere. The other day, I put him in his natural position. But I have a fantastic captain in him, and he’s proven that in recent months. We’ll see him in many positions because he can contribute so much. I like a team with a lot of movement, where players interchange positions. I’m sure Fede will really enjoy playing football, which is ultimately what I want. Fede embodies Real Madrid and is an exceptional representative of this badge.”

Arbeloa’s response to Albacete defeat

After the Albacete match, captain Dani Carvajal declared that Real Madrid were at rock bottom. Arbeloa told the players a story from his career afterwards.

“I understand that people are looking for someone to blame, but I work to find solutions. Everything that happens on the pitch is my responsibility. When things aren’t going well, I understand that I have to be able to help my players better. I feel very responsible for everything that happens on the pitch. I still feel the same way about that defeat in Albacete. I like what I say to my players to stay in the dressing room.”

“But I told them a story: it took me many years to win my first European Cup. I had won a World Cup, two European Championships, the record-breaking La Liga title… when we finally won La Decima, after a lot of hard work, I got on the bus and behind me was a teammate who was playing his first season in the Champions League. And he said to me, ‘Next year, let’s go for another one.’ I looked at him and said, ‘After all the effort it took me.’ The past doesn’t exist. Not when you win European Cups, nor when Albacete knocks you out. That’s what Real Madrid is all about.”

During his opening press conference, Arbeloa declared that he was not afraid of failure, and after Albacete, noted that it was a stop on the way to success. It was a message he returned to.

“What coaches always need is the thing we don’t have, which is time. But I don’t need anything, really. The schedule is what it is, and it doesn’t scare or worry me. The only thing I need is players as fantastic as the ones I have. I’m very eager, very motivated. I always try to be a born fighter, and I’m lucky to have an extraordinary squad. We’re ready.”

“I’m not setting a threshold for failure. I’ve failed many times. I haven’t gotten here through success after success, even it might seem like that in the academy. I’ve had some great times but also some very difficult times that have made me better. That’s why I firmly believe that failures make you better.”