Arbeloa reveals major lineup decisions before Girona as Real Madrid balance Bayern and LaLiga run-in: “Wednesday’s game starts on Friday”

Just 34 hours after the match against Bayern Munich, Álvaro Arbeloa reviewed the state of his team before facing Girona (Friday, 3:00 p.m. ET) in one of the last games Real Madrid have left to play at the Santiago Bernabéu this season. They would still have three league matches remaining there, plus the second leg of the Champions League semifinal if they manage to eliminate Bayern.

There were 15 questions, and he offered a few clues ahead of next week’s match in Munich: Bellingham and Militao will start, and so will Camavinga, against the Catalan side, while Mendy will get some minutes to build rhythm ahead of their expected starting roles in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Refereeing also came up again, with the Salamanca-born coach once more making his position clear: “In Spain, we’re still waiting for an explanation and we need to fix it. There are a lot of doubts around all these kinds of decisions.”

Arbeloa: Real Madrid vs Girona press conference

—How is the team doing?

—Eager to compete at home in front of our fans, knowing that we need to go all out for the three points and put in a great performance. We’re really looking forward to it.

—On Tuesday you said you’d like Mbappé to be like that every day. Isn’t Mbappé like that every day?

—Not just Mbappé. I want players who want to be Real Madrid players every single day. It’s important to want to be yourself beyond talent and quality. You can’t play a Champions League quarterfinal or a highly motivated game every day – that’s where self-demand comes in. It goes beyond the talent he has. We want them, tomorrow against Girona, to feel they have to shine. That’s what we need. We need them to be themselves every day and be ready to give their best. It isn’t easy, but that’s what we need. Their motivation should be to give the best of themselves.

—Vinicius heard whistles again. At this point, do you think those whistles are unfair?

—You already know what I think of Vinicius. What he means to me as a coach, as a Madrid fan, and the level he’s producing. For me, it would be a privilege – I’d love to play every match I have at the Bernabéu. The whistles are part of the demands of these fans. I see it as normal and natural. Others may sense a strange atmosphere. If there’s one thing we are feeling, it’s the support of our fans. We can’t ask for anything more. If the team stood up and created the chances it did, it was because of how hard the Bernabéu pushed. Hopefully everyone gets the chance to play at the Bernabéu. All the players feel the same way.

—Looking at the refereeing balance, is the game officiated differently in Spain than in Europe?

—You all know my opinion about what has been happening for so many years and is still happening. I’m not going to change my mind.

—Will there be rotation with Bayern in mind?

—I want to go out and win. I still think, despite the result, that I picked my best team against Mallorca. I’m not thinking about rotation. The most important game I have as a coach is tomorrow’s. I’ll put out a team that matches that.

—Will there be any tests ahead of the return leg against Bayern?

—This is not the time for experiments. We’re eager for the game in Munich to come around. Since the final whistle, we’ve wanted the chance to show what we’re capable of at the Allianz. First, though, we have to focus on tomorrow. Wednesday’s game starts tomorrow. We’ll need to put in a great performance. We have four days to recover, and everyone’s mind is set on giving their best. That’s the only objective. Put out a top team and deliver a great performance.

—Do you think anyone has lacked desire?

—No, no, absolutely not. I’m not someone who likes to break down tactically what we’re trying to do here. It’s important to want to go out there with a great attitude and real commitment. The talent is there and it’s wonderful. But talent alone isn’t enough to win games. Every now and then it might be, but if we want to be consistent, we need more than talent.

—Are Barcelona’s complaints fair?

—I don’t want to get into that kind of judgment. We already saw what happened last weekend and what keeps happening week after week. My opinion is there and I stand by it – it’s what I keep seeing every single week.

—Is it difficult to motivate the players for Girona?

—They’re the first ones who want to play. More than I do. Any Madrid player, when they fail to win and something like that happens to them, would want to play the next day. I’ve spoken to many of them and they’re ready, available, and eager to put on a great performance for the fans and for ourselves as well.

—Do you feel there’s no margin for error in La Liga?

—We’re aware that every game is very important. Now we have less room for error. Even if we don’t have any chances left, we’ll keep fighting the same way. We know what we represent and the demands that come with it. We’re ready to face that.

—I want to ask you about three specific names: Mendy, Militao, and Bellingham – will they play against Girona?

—Militao and Bellingham will start. Mendy will get some minutes.

—What kind of role do you think Camavinga has?

—Camavinga has played a lot under me. More than in the first stretch of the season. He started and he’ll start tomorrow. I consider him important for me and for the club. He has shown many times what kind of player he is, and he has the confidence of everyone at the club and, of course, of the coach.

—Let me insist on Camavinga. A few months ago he said he wants to contribute more on the ball. Do you agree?

—It’s good that he feels that way. Every coach asks different things of him. He has exceptional physical tools and is comfortable on the ball. He has great qualities. I’m happy with his performances. I want him to improve and to understand what we ask of him on the field. He’ll continue to be important in the future.

—Do you trust the referees?

—It’s not about trusting them or not trusting them. It’s about what we’re seeing. It happened on Tuesday with the challenge on Mbappé – it’s hard to understand how that wasn’t a red card. It even happens with VAR, which was supposed to solve a lot of things. In Spain, we’re still waiting for an explanation and we need to fix it. There are a lot of doubts around these kinds of decisions. One week VAR steps in, the next it doesn’t. I try to focus on my work as a coach.

—What does Militao change in defense?

—When he’s fit, he’s probably the best center back in the world. Physically, he’s a dominant player, excellent one-on-one, he defends a lot of space in open field, he’s very strong in the air, he brings the ball out well, and then there’s his mentality, his character, his voice on the field... There’s no doubt about how important he is to the group. It’s a privilege to have a player like that.

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