Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa has urged his players to quickly turn their attention to Tuesday’s match against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Spanish capital, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, following their surprise defeat at Mallorca (2-1) on Saturday, in La Liga’s 30th round.
Arbeloa said during the post-match press conference: “What I need from them is for them to start thinking about next Tuesday’s match… As soon as they leave the dressing room, this match must be over for them.”
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The Spanish coach added: "I need my players to believe in our ability to win Tuesday’s match; it’s a very important fixture in the Champions League, and they must give their all in a competition we consider vital for us, with the support of our fans against a big opponent like Bayern Munich… So, as soon as they step out of the dressing room, they must think of nothing but Bayern Munich.”
Asked whether he needed a favour from Atlético Madrid, who face Barcelona later on Saturday, Arbeloa said: “Well… that’s not something that concerns me. What matters to me is my team and preparing for Tuesday’s match. As for things I can’t do anything about, I don’t waste too much time on them.”
Bellingham’s performance
Regarding Jude Bellingham’s involvement and his fitness levels, he commented: “He’s been out for several weeks… Against Atlético Madrid, I think he played for 20 minutes, and today he played just over half an hour… The idea is for him to keep building up his match fitness; we can’t expect Jude Bellingham to be at his absolute best without having played much, as this is only his second game after the break, so we must be patient with him, of course.”
Asked whether this defeat might affect the team’s morale ahead of Champions League night, Arbeloa expressed his confidence, saying: “No, not at all. I know my players’ capabilities very well, and I know they are fully aware of the importance of Tuesday’s match.”
He continued: “Sometimes you go through periods where luck isn’t on your side, and things don’t go as you’d like, and that’s what happened today. So, we must now turn the page and prepare well for that match.”