Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media ahead of his team’s match against Osasuna on Saturday. He was asked about the alleged racial abuse on Vinicius Jr against Benfica, to which he said: “I think I’ve made myself clear, the important thing is to fight against these acts. It’s unacceptable. We won’t allow it or tolerate it. They’ll find us standing against it. I want to be clear, especially when it involves a fellow professional. Nothing justifies what happened.”
Arbeloa on how Vinicius Jr is doing
“He’s been sad, like everyone else, and very indignant. It’s a racist act that we don’t want to see happen again; it has no place in our sport. We have a huge opportunity to make sure this doesn’t go unpunished.”
Arbeloa on leaving the pitch vs Benfica
“It was Vinicius’s decision. If he says we should leave, we all go inside. I couldn’t be more proud than I was the other day, of how everyone reacted. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing how they surrounded their teammate.”
Arbeloa on the game against Osasuna
“Osasuna hasn’t lost at home in two months, a team in great form. We all know how difficult El Sadar is for Real Madrid; I’ve only won there once. We’re very aware of the tough battle ahead. We’re going to prepare in the best way possible; these are three very important points.”
Arbeloa on Kylian Mbappé’s knee
“Mbappé‘s knee is much better; it hasn’t completely healed, but he feels much better.”
Arbeloa on the team’s improvement
We’ve made great progress these past few weeks, but I’m just as calm as I was when there was criticism. We’re aware of the club’s high expectations. We want to keep improving. The league season is long, and a lot can happen. We don’t want to relax; to win everything, we have to give 100%. We can’t let up if we want to win.
“We want to see that growth, both collectively and individually. We’re going to continue working to ensure that this performance comes from everyone. This is about everyone, not just eleven players. All the good things we’re seeing are the work of 25.”
Arbeloa on Trent Alexander-Arnold
“It’s obvious, his precision and the way he passes; he doesn’t need much space or time. He always gives the forwards an advantage, he makes Mbappé and Vini run. He’s in great shape after this break; it’s not easy to get back to this level. He fits what we want. I’m very happy for him.”
Arbeloa on Jose Mourinho’s comments
“Everyone saw what happened, we were all watching the game. That’s what’s really important, we can’t change the subject. We have a great opportunity ahead of us.”
Arbeloa on potential sanctions
“Now it’s in UEFA’s hands. Now it’s time to show that it’s not just talk; they’ve been doing a good job at this for years.
“It’s not up to me, it’s not my place to know how UEFA should react. I do believe there should be a sanction. We have a good opportunity to mark a turning point. We know the passion that football stirs, but what happened is intolerable.”
Arbeloa on people blaming Vinicius Jr
“I don’t like to comment on what others think, not Kompany, not Mou, not anyone. Everyone is free to have their opinion, and I’m giving mine. Vini scored a fantastic goal and celebrated it as we’ve seen hundreds of times, with many players regardless of their background. We can’t portray the victim as the provocateur. I repeat: nothing Vini has done justifies a racist act.”
Arbeloa on Vinicius Jr’s attitude
“Vinicius is deciding matches, scoring amazing goals, carrying the team on his back... And he’s not afraid. He can go through situations like the other day and still come back on the pitch. We all receive insults, unfortunately, but I’ve never been insulted because of my skin color. I don’t know if I’d be able to go back on the pitch like he did. We’re going to be by his side, defending him.”
Arbeloa on Jude Bellingham
“If I could give an arm to make sure Jude is healthy tomorrow, I would. He’s a leader, one of the best in the world. What makes me happy is how the team is competing without a player like Bellingham. It speaks volumes about the squad. If I could give him Panoramix’s potion to get him back to health, I would. I have no doubts about him.”
Arbeloa on central defenders
“We have five great center-backs, hopefully Militao will be back soon. I’m happy to have almost all of them available, let’s see how they train today. And we’ll decide.”