Real Madrid’s coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, expressed confidence that fans will support the team as they return to LaLiga action on Sunday, despite the club’s recent failure to maintain a spot in the Champions League top eight following another tough loss.
On Wednesday, Madrid suffered a 4-2 defeat to Benfica, which included a last-minute header from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin. This defeat dropped Real Madrid to ninth in the UCL standings and they will now face Benfica again in a playoff in February to fight for a place in the round of 16.
Earlier this month, the home crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu expressed their displeasure after Arbeloa’s predecessor, Xabi Alonso, was dismissed and the team exited the Copa del Rey. However, their form had shown signs of improvement before this latest setback.
“No, I expect the Bernabeu to support the team,” Arbeloa said at a press conference on Saturday, ahead of the matchup with Rayo Vallecano, when asked about anticipating a hostile environment. “We know we need our fans. I always ask for their support because together we can achieve more. Our goal is to win on Sunday and continue our fight for the league.”
During Arbeloa’s tenure, the team has been eliminated from the Copa del Rey but managed to secure back-to-back LaLiga wins over Levante and Villarreal, before Wednesday’s loss against Benfica.
Star players Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham have been vocal about their disappointment, with Bellingham labeling the performance “horrible” and Mbappé stressing that the outcome was driven more by a lack of desire rather than quality or tactics.
“We are focusing on achieving the consistency we need,” Arbeloa stated on Saturday. “This is not a time for disillusionment or euphoria; it’s a time for hard work. Regret leads nowhere. When things go wrong, we must strive to improve. That’s my approach as a coach, and I know I will make mistakes along the way.”
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Despite the challenges, Madrid enters the weekend just one point behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who are set to face Elche on Saturday.