Real Madrid continued their solid momentum in La Liga by securing a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad at Santiago Bernabeu.
It was an impressive display from Los Blancos, especially on a night where most key players, including Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, were missing in action, although the former was available on the bench.
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Vinicius Jr. notably scored a brace while Federico Valverde and Gonzalo Garcia chipped in with goals.
Speaking to the press after the match, Real Madrid coach Arbeloa talked about Real Madrid’s performance, and the impressive display of Trent Alexander-Arnold, among other things.
What Arbeloa said after Real Sociedad win
First and foremost, the Real Madrid coach was asked about implementing a 4-4-2 formation against Real Sociedad.
“Defensively, it’s a structure that closes down the midfield corridor, where more players are positioned, and allows us to be more compact. With the type of players we have, if we want to counter-attack, it also allows us to do so.
“We have a lot of room for improvement. I’m very happy because, beyond the systems, the key is effort, mentality, and teamwork, and we’re doing that,” he explained.
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He went on to talk about the performance of Vinicius Jr., who was a live wire on the pitch and scored two goals through penalties he won himself.
“I’ve been seeing a great Vinicius for a month now, not just in this one game. He’s been playing at a very high level, being a real game-changer.
“For me, he’s a player who goes beyond the numbers, capable of turning matches around. He’s a guy with a huge heart and a great teammate. We’re lucky to have him,” he said, praising the Brazilian.
Arbeloa was also asked about the state of the Real Madrid defence, which performed significantly better against Real Sociedad, notably conceding just one shot on target throughout the ninety minutes.
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“Today we played a great game defensively, but in the first half we also looked more fluid in the opposition’s half, with greater mobility, able to move the ball around more quickly. It’s worth noting that we’ve worked very well during the week.
“Real Sociedad came into the game in a situation we sometimes find ourselves in, having played a midweek match, while our opponents hadn’t. We’ve had a week of focused training, and I think that showed from the start,” he added.
The Real Madrid coach also offered an update on the fitness of Mbappe, who was a mere spectator from the bench due to his niggle.
“Mbappé has been dealing with this discomfort for quite some time. He’s putting in a huge effort every time he goes out on the pitch, and today we decided not to take any risks ahead of Tuesday. I think he’ll be available,” he said.
Kylian Mbappe was a spectator against Real Sociedad. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
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One of the big takeaways from Real Madrid’s win over Sociedad was the performance of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who most notably supplied an assist for Garcia’s opening goal.
Speaking from a perspective of a right-back, Arbeloa hailed the performance of the former Liverpool star.
“I won’t say he surprised me, but he seems like a very intelligent lad who understands the game very well and quickly grasps what we want from him. He’s not your typical full-back who’s always going to be wide; he can also play centrally.
“We’re lucky to have a player like that. With Gonzalo in the box, he could look for crosses. He’s a great player. I’m happy that he continues to get playing time, find his rhythm, and keep getting back to his best form,” he said.
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The Real Madrid coach also talked about Dani Carvajal and whether or not we can see him get regular game-time in the coming matches.
“He took the first step today. It was a very good 30 minutes; I liked the ovation from the stadium, he deserves it. We have many matches ahead. He and Trent are coming off a period of injury and can’t play 90 minutes every three days. My goal is to have them both at 100%,” he said.
Arbeloa was asked about Dean Huijsen as well, whose rash tackle saw Real Madrid concede a penalty that allowed Sociedad to get back into the game.
“The Real Sociedad player did very well on the penalty, and that’s the nature of being a defender: you can play brilliantly for 90 minutes and then lose a game with one mistake, but that wasn’t the case for him.
“We have to remember that he’s only 20 years old, it’s his first season at Real Madrid, and it’s very difficult to be a defender here,” he said, defending the youngster.
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Finally, the Real Madrid coach explained how this victory will be critical going into the midweek Champions League clash against Benfica, which will serve as one of the four finals for Arbeloa in a 11-day stretch.
“I love these kinds of victories because I see the Bernabéu crowd enjoying themselves, and the players too. I wish every match could be like this, I really do.
“I’m happy with how we worked and prepared this week. Big teams hadn’t been able to beat this Real Sociedad side, who were undefeated,” he said.
“I hope history doesn’t repeat itself. We’re prepared for what awaits us there on Tuesday. It’s a two-legged tie. We have to go out there and play a great game and win,” he concluded.
Source: Diario AS