“We understand the anger”: Arbeloa addresses Real Madrid fans after Barcelona seals LaLiga title in El Clásico

It was not an easy night for Álvaro Arbeloa to manage.

After a 2-0 loss in his first Clásico at Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou as Real Madrid coach, a defeat that also sealed the LaLiga title for Barça, Arbeloa faced reporters to share his thoughts on what has become a chaotic, frustrating and deeply controversial end to Madrid’s season.

Here’s what he had to say in the postgame press conference.

Arbeloa questions VAR decision

Asked about Jude Bellingham’s controversial elbow incident, Arbeloa made it clear he believed officials got it wrong.

“From what we saw, it was obvious,” he said. “Maybe someone should explain why VAR didn’t step in.”

The Madrid coach also congratulated Barcelona on clinching the title.

“They got control of the game very quickly.”

Mbappé injury update remains unclear

Arbeloa was also asked about Kylian Mbappé and whether the French star could have done more to be available for the game, or if he might still feature before the end of the league season.

“I don’t know,” Arbeloa admitted. “We’ll see how his discomfort progresses.”

When pressed on whether he at least wished Mbappé had traveled with the team, the coach did not hesitate.

“I would have liked him to be there, and I would have liked him to play.”

“We understand the anger”

Real Madrid supporters have grown increasingly frustrated during a disappointing campaign, and Arbeloa acknowledged the mood around the club.

“There’s not much we can say,” he said. “We understand the frustration and the disappointment with this season.”

“We need to look at what we’ve done wrong. This team has gotten back up many times before. We understand the anger because we feel it too.”

Despite the collapse in the title race, Arbeloa insisted Madrid cannot afford to coast through the final stretch of the season.

“We can’t just throw away these last three games. We’re defending something bigger than ourselves or our reputation. We’re defending this badge.”

Real Madrid’s future under the microscope

Arbeloa admitted the match became difficult almost immediately after Barcelona took the lead.

“The game got away from us too early,” he explained. “They’re very good when they’re ahead. It’s a very well-drilled team.”

“I asked the players to keep fighting until the end, regardless of the score.”

Attention quickly turned toward the future and whether this Real Madrid squad needs major rebuilding this summer.

“We have a great squad with a lot more potential to unlock,” Arbeloa said. “We have players every club in Europe would want. Right now we just have to focus on the future.”

Still, he acknowledged the team must improve collectively after dropping too many points in matches they should have won.

“We need to take a step forward together,” he said. “We need a clear idea and we need to learn from the games where points slipped away unnecessarily.”

Huijsen’s late withdrawal explained

Arbeloa also revealed why Dean Huijsen was removed from the starting lineup just minutes before kickoff.

According to the Madrid coach, the defender had been battling flu-like symptoms but initially wanted to play.

“He wanted to play,” Arbeloa explained. “But he was feeling weak, and it was my decision.”

“We needed energy, so I decided Raúl (Asencio) would start instead.”

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