Coach Alvaro Arbeloa hailed Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior as “the best players in the world” following their impressive performances that led Real Madrid to a 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday, propelling the team to the top of the La Liga standings.
Mbappé opened the scoring in the 47th minute at La Cerámica, seizing a loose ball in the box after Vinícius’ dangerous run and cross was blocked by Pape Gueye.
– Endrick, Estêvão: How has Palmeiras’ ‘Billion Generation’ fared in Europe?
– Premier League January transfers: All confirmed ins, outs for every club
He later scored a second from the penalty spot in injury time, bringing his total to 21 goals in La Liga this season. The win placed Madrid at 51 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who are set to play on Sunday.
“They’re the best players in the world, both extremely dangerous,” Arbeloa told Movistar when asked about the impact of Mbappé and Vinícius.
“We aim to provide them with as many balls as possible. With Vini on the wing and Kylian utilizing space… We’re thrilled with their current form, and particularly their dedication and teamwork, which is being rewarded with goals.”
Both players have had a stellar week, with Mbappé netting twice against Monaco in the Champions League, and Vinícius contributing three assists and scoring once at the Bernabéu.
Despite struggling under Arbeloa’s predecessor, Xabi Alonso, including a 16-match goal drought, Vinícius has now found his rhythm.
“What we’re witnessing, as we saw on Wednesday night, is a fantastic Vinícius,” Arbeloa remarked in his post-match news conference. “We need to make the most of him, seeking him out to exploit one-on-ones [with defenders]. I’ve always said we’re fortunate to have him.”
Under Arbeloa’s management, Madrid has secured three consecutive wins after being knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Albacete in his first game as coach, and Villarreal posed the toughest challenge so far.
“We haven’t had many days to train together,” Arbeloa commented. “But gradually, the players are grasping what we want, and with more time, it will become easier. They are elite players who understand our expectations.”
“We appeared serious and solid, but there’s still room for growth…I don’t believe this is their limit.”
“We’re progressively adapting to the coach’s ideas,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois expressed. “We’re all improving, and with more confidence, we can achieve even better results.”