Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid coach, defended his country, Spain, against accusations of racism, emphasizing that the nation is “tolerant” and that the incidents during the Egypt match were the work of a small, disruptive minority.
The Royal Club is preparing for a crucial match against Real Mallorca in La Liga after the international break. Arbeloa addressed several issues at the press conference, most notably the future of Los Blancos and the status of stars like Kylian Mbappé, Jadon Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior.
Arbeloa: Spain is not a racist country
Arbeloa was initially asked about the unfortunate events during the Egypt-Spain match, when fans at Espanyol’s stadium booed the Egyptian national anthem and chanted racist slogans against Muslims.
The Real Madrid coach commented, “I don’t believe Spain is a racist country. If it were, we would have problems every weekend.”
He added, “We have to eradicate certain behaviors, things I can’t change. But I will continue to defend them.”
He continued, “Spain must continue fighting to eliminate these kinds of actions, but we are a great, very tolerant country. We shouldn’t generalize, but rather continue with the determination and strength we have shown.”
Arbeloa: Real Madrid has 9 finals this season
Real Madrid is currently second in the La Liga standings, four points behind leaders Barcelona, with only nine rounds remaining.
Regarding this, the Spanish coach said, “We have nine finals left, and tomorrow is the first one (against Real Mallorca).”
He continued, “We are now fully aware of the difficulty of tomorrow’s match, because Mallorca needs the points as much as we do. We are ready. Playing away from home after the break is never easy.”
On the players’ condition after returning from international duty, he said, “All the international players have returned in good health, and that is the primary objective. The break was very positive for most of them, especially since they got playing time.”
He concluded, “We have three matches in six days, all of them high-level, and there’s no room for error. Tomorrow I’ll field the best possible lineup. However, as I always say, we’ll need everyone, and the matches have proven that.”
Arbeloa on Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinicius
When asked about Bellingham, who joined the England squad but didn’t play a single minute, Arbeloa said, “His situation was a bit special because he played a few minutes against Atlético, but Tuchel decided not to play him now. They didn’t want to take any risks.”
He continued, “I didn’t have a plan; that’s the coach’s decision for each national team. But there’s no problem with him not playing, just as it wouldn’t have been a problem if he had. I’m happy he’s back, and we’ll work on getting him back to full fitness gradually.”
Regarding Mbappé and the allegations about him receiving incorrect treatment, Arbeloa responded, “What Kylian has said in recent days is clear: that information is completely false. It’s time to move on from the talk about his knee and focus on his goals, and for him to return to the level he showed previously.”
Finally, regarding Vinicius, “He’s fine. Obviously, Ancelotti hasn’t given him much rest! Real Madrid’s demands are very similar to what he experiences with Brazil. He’s played a lot of matches, and we’ll decide later what’s best for him.”
What awaits Real Madrid in the next two weeks?
Real Madrid’s start after the international break will be very difficult when they face Real Mallorca at Son Moix Stadium on Saturday, just three days before hosting Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
Next Friday, Real Madrid will play Girona before traveling to Germany to face Bayern Munich in the second leg at the Allianz Arena, a match scheduled for Wednesday, April 15.
