Álvaro Arbeloa appeared before the media at the Ciudad Real Madrid and analyzed the match against Osasuna, corresponding to Matchday 25 of LaLiga (Saturday, 6:30 pm CEST; Orange TV and Dazn): “They have gone two months without losing at home. It’s a team that is in excellent form. We all know how tough El Sadar is for Real Madrid. I only won once in all the times I played there.”

“We are very aware of the tough battle, the level of the opponent, and the great work of their coach. We are going to prepare in the best possible way, knowing that tomorrow's three points are extremely important.”

Racist acts against Vini Jr.
“Vini Jr. has been upset, as have we all. Above all, he has been very outraged by what happened. It’s a racist act that has no place in sports or our society. We have a tremendous opportunity not to let it pass and to continue fighting against this scourge that is racism. What’s really important is to combat acts like the one we witnessed the other day. It’s an intolerable situation that we don’t want to see happen again. We will stand against it, especially when it involves a fellow professional. It’s an act that must not and should not happen. Nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies a racist act.”

Team status
“Mbappé's knee is much better. It’s something that hasn’t completely gone away, but he’s feeling better every day. Regarding the team, it has grown significantly in recent weeks. I feel just as calm now as I did when there were criticisms. We are aware of the demands of this club and want to keep working. LaLiga is very long; for me, it has barely even started. We have a very challenging visit ahead, as always, and our goal is not to let our guard down. To win every match, we must be at one hundred percent.”

Growth 
“When you arrive, you need to get to know the players, work with them, and see what works best. The players’ performances dictate who plays. We are responding well, and the players are too. Every day, we want to see growth both collectively and individually. We’re going to work so that this performance level reaches all the players. This isn’t about eleven players but about 25. Everything we are experiencing now is thanks to the work of all 25.”

The possibility of leaving the pitch in Lisbon
“It was Vini's decision to return to the pitch and keep playing. If he had decided not to continue playing, we would have all followed him off the field one by one. I told the players that there is no title or victory that makes me feel as proud as last Tuesday's, just like the subsequent statements. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing a united team, protecting a teammate, and fighting together like this.”

Mourinho's statements
“I think everyone saw what happened. We were all watching the match and what occurred in the second half. That's what's really important. We can't change the subject, and we have a tremendous opportunity to take action so that this doesn't happen again on a football pitch.”

“Now it's in UEFA's hands. They are the ones who have been making a great effort in recent years, and now they have a perfect opportunity to show that this fight is not just words, to punish an act like the one we saw the other day, and to ensure it never happens again.”

Vini Jr.'s celebration
“I don't like to comment on anyone's opinions, whether it's José Mourinho's or Kompany's. Everyone is free to express their opinion. Vini scored a great goal and celebrated it just as I've seen hundreds and hundreds of times throughout history. We can't portray the victim as the provocateur. In my view, that's unjustifiable. Nothing Vini does on a football pitch justifies a racist act.”

Trent
“It's clear he's special. Not just the precision, but the tension with which he delivers passes and, above all, the fact that he doesn't need much time or space to execute a 60-70 meter pass that always gives the forwards an advantage. It's something we emphasize a lot: getting Vinicius and Mbappé running, and he's been doing it fantastically after a break.”

“It's not easy to return at this level, and I think he's a player who has adjusted to what we need within the team. He can play inside, outside, deliver crosses to the forwards… The connection with Fede and Arda has been very good among the three of them, and we need to keep working with him, but everyone can see Trent's performance and level, and I'm very happy for him.”

Are you afraid the racist act will go unpunished?
“That's not for me to decide. It's neither my place nor my position to determine how UEFA should react. However, I do think there should be a punishment and a sanction because this must not happen again. We have an opportunity to create a before and after, which is the most important thing – that this marks a turning point in the football world. From here, it's up to UEFA, but also up to us as a society when we react to such an act. We know the passion football generates, but there are things that are intolerable, and what we experienced last Tuesday is one of them.”

Bellingham
“If I could give an arm for him to be healthy and available tomorrow, I would do it without thinking for a single second. For me, Jude Bellingham is one of the best players in the world. A leader and an example for everyone. His absence is very significant. What makes me happy is that we are able to play and compete without a player like him. This speaks well of our squad. If I had Panoramix's potion to recover him right now, I would use it. No doubts about Bellingham, quite the opposite.”

Vini, the most targeted player
“I can only speak about what I have experienced with Vini, and I think I have repeatedly praised him as a footballer. What he is doing on the pitch since I've been here is sensational, brilliant, deciding matches, carrying the team on his back, scoring spectacular goals... He's a game-changing player who takes on that responsibility within the team. He's a boy who isn't afraid, who faces brave situations like the one the other day and comes back to the pitch.”

“I can't put myself in his situation. We all receive insults, but I have never received insults because of my skin color. I don't know if I would be able to endure what Vinicius is enduring. This is not the first time, and we hope it will be the last. It takes a lot of courage and bravery to return to play as he did the other day. We will be by his side, defending him and standing with him without hesitation.”

Rotation of central defenders
“Fortunately, we have five great central defenders, and hopefully, we will recover Militão soon. I'm very happy to have them all healthy. We'll see how they perform in today's training before tomorrow's match and make a decision. It's important to gradually recover players. Having all the players available gives me more options and more variations. There will be more matches, and managing workloads is important, but the most important thing for me is the fight for the three points tomorrow.”

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.