Article by Dragoș Petrescu – Published on Sunday, 01 February 2026 22:27 / Updated on Sunday, 01 February 2026 22:27
real madrid was imposed with great emotions on his own ground in front of him Rayo Vallecanoscore 2-1, in a duel of the round with number #22 in La Liga. The winning goal was scored by Kylian Mbappefrom the penalty, in the 10th additional minute of the game. At the post-match press conference, Alvaro Arbeloa spoke about his players' performance, but he also touched on a less pleasant subject.
The complete program of stage #22 of La Liga
The coach of the “galacticos” appreciated the attitude of his players in the hard-fought victory against those of Rayo Vallecano, a team that finished the duel at the Bernabeu with nine men.
In the press conference that took place after the match, the Spanish technician analyzed the borderline success achieved by Real Madrid, also talking about some spicy topics, such as the refereeing and, in particular, the whistles of the “Blanco” fans at him.
Alvaro Arbeloa: “I respect the public at the Bernabeu…”
The man who replaced Xabi Alonso at the helm of the La Liga runners-up began by underlining the dedication of his players in this game. “I think it was a victory where the players gave their soul on the pitch. We needed the public's help, and without that boost, we certainly wouldn't have won. We did our best to score early. I knew it wouldn't be an easy match. In recent years, Rayo have always given us problems“, he said.
Afterwards, when asked about the whistles he received from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu, Arbeloa was sympathetic but called for unity: “I have a lot of respect for the Real Madrid fans…and I will always ask for their support, no matter the situation“.
About the performance of Vinicius, the author of the goal that unlocked the table, the Spanish coach had only words of praise. “We tried to give him spaces to dribble. When you have a player like him, opponents come together to stop him. He scored a superb goal and we are very pleased with his effort and the mentality he showedtoday”, explained the leader of the technical bench, adding that there is still no news about the physical condition of Jude Bellingham, who was injured in the first half and could not continue the game.
Confronted with the team's improvements since his arrival, Arbeloa retorted: “I'm not Gandalf either (no – the wizard from Lord of the Rings). Players need to show commitment and attitude, quality alone is not enough. The effort will have to be constant and we will work on this aspect. This is Real Madrid“.
Finally, about the arbitration controversy, the Spaniard was succinct. “The elimination seemed fair to me (no – by Pathe Ciss, from the 80th minute), I didn't see the penalty, but I was told it was very clear. And nine minutes (no extra time)… maybe more was needed. For example, every time a clearance is executed, it basically consumes a minute. They could give a few more“, he concluded.
Following today's success, Real Madrid have collected 54 points and moved back to one length behind leaders Barcelona.
La Liga standings:
