Álvaro Arbeloa spoke in the press room of the Bernabéu and analyzed the Real Madrid victory in the derby: “We have shown mental strength and a character worthy of this jersey and this badge. That is what I liked most about the team today. We also had to endure those final minutes with one player less. Grateful that in the end, we maintained the score and secured the three points, which is what we wanted.”

“The turning point is that we have had many victories where each one is a turning point. A break is coming, but we remain in the fight for La Liga, and it is a fight that will be very long and every match will be very tough. Mission accomplished.”

Praises for Vini Jr.
“Another brilliant performance by Vini Jr. and another display of talent, bravery, character, fearlessness, and the ability to fail and try again. He scored an incredible goal that gave us victory in a very challenging moment. It's an immense fortune to have him as a player for his commitment, talent, and his constant drive to lead the team. I don't know if he's at the best moment of his career, but he's very close to it.”

Valverde's red card
“I have a different perspective than José Luis (Munuera Montero), to whom I am grateful for coming to the sideline to explain why he sent off Valverde. I see it differently than he does. He told me it was excessive force, but I don't see it that way. It was a tackle like many others, very low, with no intention to harm or injure the opponent. That’s my view, and it's clearly different from his, but at least he came to explain it to me, and I appreciate that. Many times, we’d appreciate this attitude from referees, even though it doesn't change anything and I don't agree with the red card, which clearly made things much more difficult for us, forcing us to endure a lot.”

What has changed for Arbeloa since he arrived?
“I'm getting to know them more and more. I arrived at a time when I practically had no time to work with them, to understand where they felt comfortable, and to see how they mixed with each other. For me, it's not easy to arrive mid-season and observe how the team functions, and that’s what has changed over these two months. Now I know my players personally and professionally, where I can get the best performance from them, and where I can make adjustments. Surely, I still have a lot to learn because we’re gradually recovering players I haven’t worked with yet, such as Militão. Bellingham was able to play today after a long time, so we’re in constant evolution with a lot of room for improvement. There’s a tough calendar ahead, with a test every three days, and we have to give our best.”

Maximizing performance
“You’d have to ask them. My job is to try to get the best performance and see how we can become a more compact, unified team, with clearer ideas, and to ensure that when we go out to attack, we know what to do. Many times, I had the feeling that we went out to play depending on each player's talent and what they thought of at that moment. We need to know that when we step onto the field, we aim to exploit the opponent's weaknesses, leverage our strengths, have a clear strategy, and establish a style of play. We still have a long way to go and much to improve, especially considering we’ve just arrived.”

Do you think it’s unfair to some players who are performing well now?
“My biggest goal as a coach is to be unfair to as many players as possible. I’d love that when I announce the lineup every match day, I look at those who aren’t playing and feel like I’m being unfair to all of them, that they deserve to play and deserve much more. I already feel this way with many of them, and hopefully, my goal is to feel like I have 25 players, all of whom deserve to play and have the confidence to do what I ask of them. Hopefully, one day I’ll achieve that.”

Mbappé
“Every day, I try to field the best lineup to face the opponent ahead of us. When you have the best in the world, you try to make the most of it and keep him on the field as long as possible. After three weeks, almost a month of being out, it’s normal to progress gradually, which is what I like and what I believe is best for them and the team. Kylian had very good minutes and was a constant threat, as he was the other day. Now, surely with his national team, he’ll get more minutes and return better prepared.”

Defeating Guardiola, Simeone, and Mourinho in the last month
“That speaks highly of the fantastic team I have. Everything is much easier when you have the best players, when they’re as committed as they are now, and when they have the mentality they’re showing, knowing how to endure and be a great team. I’m very fortunate to see how the Bernabéu is supporting us more and more. I often tell the players that we have to make the most of it because when the Bernabéu pushes, everything becomes much easier, and it feels like the field is tilted. My gratitude to all the players for their commitment, both starters and those who aren’t, for how they’re working. That’s what I want: for them to be as united as possible, to be a family, to show the power of friendship, to maintain a good atmosphere, and to keep winning because that’s what matters.”

Carvajal's starting role
“Every match day, I select the best lineup and the one I believe is most suitable based on what I expect from the opponent, and Carvajal had very good minutes and a very good game. He stayed close to Lookman, whom we knew would be a threat. I’m happy with him and with Trent, who gave us a tremendous boost and energy when he came on. I’m delighted to have so many options, to use the bench, and for those who come on to contribute as they did today. This is the way forward.”

The return of Bellingham

“We’ll see in the upcoming matches because he’s coming back after being out for quite some time. I’d love for his progression, despite the difficulty of the matches ahead, to be like today—step by step—similar to what Mbappé experienced. We’ll see if he also plays a few minutes with his national team. It’ll be my job to find his spot, surround him with teammates with whom he has good chemistry, ensure they interact correctly, and maximize all his qualities. His problem is that he’s very good at many things: arriving in the box, creating play from the base, his dribbling can break through many lines… When you’re so good at so many things, you have to choose what’s best for the team and also depending on the match.”