Álvaro appeared in the press room at the Bernabéu and analyzed the match against Girona, corresponding to Matchday 31 of LaLiga. The first question was about the penalty incident involving Mbappé: “For me, it’s a penalty here and on the moon. It’s just another one, another week. It’s what we have, and that’s the situation. I don’t understand it, and I don’t think anyone understands when VAR intervenes. I imagine it’s convenient at times, and when it’s not, it doesn’t. These incidents only reinforce my opinion. An action that, for me, was very clear. Mbappé was called for a foul that seemed less significant to me. We’ve had many issues with referees. With this one, last week in Mallorca... it’s the same story.”

Feeling
“I leave with the feeling that, without it being our brightest game, we should have won. With all the chances we created and the little we conceded to Girona, this was a match with a strong enough lineup to win. With the performance the players gave, we had opportunities where we should have scored more goals. That didn’t happen, and we leave with this draw.”

Vini Jr. and Mbappé’s effectiveness
“I can’t be worried about two players who have the stats they do. They are surely two of the four or five best players in the world. I can’t be concerned, not at all. We need to improve collectively in many areas, especially against teams that sit back, leave little space, and don’t press us much. It’s something that continues to challenge us, and I believe it has more to do with collective performance than individual talent. Let’s hope that on Wednesday, like all streaks, this one ends, and we improve our finishing in front of goal.”

Did the referee offer any convincing explanation?
“Absolutely nothing.”

Comeback against Bayern
“We’re going to focus on Wednesday, knowing we have to put in an enormous effort and prepare for the match. We’ll have much more time than we did in the first leg to analyze everything that happened in last Tuesday’s game, correct the things we didn’t do well, and try to improve and enhance what we did right to see how we can hurt them. We know Wednesday is our game, and we’re clear about that. All the energy we have must be directed toward that match. We need to go to Germany determined to win and leave it all out there.”

Is there a sense that the league was lost today?
“No. I’ll feel that way the day we actually lose it. Until we lose it, we’ll keep fighting. And if we lose it one day, the only thing left for us to do is to go out every match to defend our badge and give the best image. This is Real Madrid, and until the very last day, we must fight.”

Switch from Tchouameni to Camavinga
“I wanted to see Camavinga in that position, as he played there against Villarreal and at other times. He feels very comfortable as a ‘6,’ and it’s also the position where he performs best. For me, it was important to see him there and for him to understand what I want in that position—where he needs to position himself, how I want him to place himself… He has always been a very mobile player, and perhaps in that role, he needs to position himself differently, helping us with ball distribution and defensive tasks. I thought it was a good option to start him there today.”

Will Bellingham repeat his position against Bayern?
“We’ll see on Wednesday. We’ve seen Bellingham with good sensations, agile, and confident. Understandably, he’s quite tired after being sidelined for so long. This was his first start after a while, but I think it was very beneficial for him to gain rhythm and continue with the positive sensations he ended with last Tuesday. We have to be very happy with his performance because of everything he brings to the team. I believe it was a positive outing for him.”

Explanation for the defeats
“Well, we haven’t won any of those matches. As I’ve always said, to beat any team, we need to give 200%. We’re not a team that can win games at 90%, or at least not consistently. If you want more assurance against teams you’re superior to, you have to give 200%. Otherwise, accidents like the ones we’ve been experiencing can happen all too often.”

Do the fans believe in the comeback?
“I want my players to believe. That’s all I want. I’m convinced that the 25 of us going there will believe we can win and rise to the occasion. In Munich, they are convinced that, with the advantage they have and playing at home, they are favorites. But they will face white shirts, a round badge, and I’m sure we’ll put up a strong fight.”

Carvajal
“There are many debates I don’t get involved in. I’m fortunate to have many players in different positions, and that’s the beauty of football. That internal competition is wonderful and pushes players to raise their performance. I’m very happy with how Carvajal is doing. Each day he’s feeling better, with improved rhythm and handling full matches much better, as he’s been doing lately. I’m very happy for him.”

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