Transcript: Álvaro Arbeloa Discusses Xabi Alonso Ahead Of Albacete vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid begin life under interim head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, with their first game in the Copa del Rey on January 14. They face second-tier side Albacete on the road, a game that could be tricky if not fully prepared.

We should see plenty of changes to the game, with reports suggesting Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo could miss the game due to injuries. With Arbeloa's background in the Castilla side, there could be some academy players in the starting lineup for the game.

The former player was asked about Xabi Alonso's departure, Vinicius Jr., Jose Mourinho, and the club's future.

☝️ @AArbeloa17's first training session as Real Madrid coach! pic.twitter.com/SzZCfRM0Dx
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 13, 2026

Arbeloa spoke to the media ahead of the Copa del Rey game against Albacete. Read on to know what he said (via RealMadrid.com).

“For me, this is a special day, as have all the days I've been part of Real Madrid. I'll be 43 on Saturday, and 20 of those years have been spent here. Every day I spend at the best club in the world is special, and today is one of them. I'm aware of the responsibility I have and the wonderful task ahead of me. I'm incredibly excited.”
Álvaro Arbeloa

Q: When were you told you were going to be the coach?

Arbeloa: “Yesterday afternoon I was informed that the club and Xabi Alonso had mutually agreed to part ways and that they wanted me to take on the responsibility and the position with the first team. It was minutes before the official statement was released. Yesterday I spoke with Xabi, and you all know the relationship I have with him, how much I appreciate and love him. It's mutual, it has been mutual, and it will continue to be mutual.”

Q: Is this a long-term prospect or an interim manager?

Arbeloa: “I’ve been here for 20 years and I’ll be at Real Madrid as long as Real Madrid wants me to be. This is my home, that’s how I feel and that’s how it always will be.”

Q: Team problems and solutions

Arbeloa: “What I discussed yesterday with Xabi Alonso will stay between us. I’m really looking forward to starting my first match in a competition where everything is at stake. I’m fortunate to have an extraordinary squad at my disposal, and I’m incredibly excited and eager for tomorrow to arrive.”

“We have the whole season ahead of us. We're in a great position in all three competitions, and tomorrow we play the first one. We're well-placed in both La Liga and the Champions League. That's what I'm focused on: having all the players available, working hard with them, getting to know each other, and making sure they understand what I want. Ultimately, what's important is them, that they can express themselves, enjoy themselves on the pitch, and be happy. Wearing this badge is the best thing that can happen to you in life, and it's a huge privilege for everyone. My only concern is having the ambition and the desire to win every title because that's what this badge represents.”

Q: The players' commitment:

Arbeloa: “We've all seen the season and how hard they fought in the Super Cup final. We have a fantastic squad and a team of lads willing to give their all, knowing the demands of Real Madrid. We have players who have won six European Cups, and it seems that this is quickly forgotten. Winning with this badge can only be achieved through values like sacrifice, effort, and consistency. That's what has made Real Madrid the best club in history and given them the most titles in world football. That's what these players have.”

“We have a squad of great professionals with enormous talent. They're all really good guys and very eager to do things right. No one is more interested in winning titles than the Real Madrid players . I know what it's like to win, the happiness we bring to the millions of fans we have around the world, and the responsibility that comes with it. I told them this morning that the best period of my life was being a Real Madrid player. They have to enjoy it, and they're very demanding of themselves. It was my first day and my first contact with them. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow for our first match together.”

💥 @ATchouameni 💥 pic.twitter.com/A2vN3f0ZKQ
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 13, 2026

Q: What does playing well mean to you?

Arbeloa: “At Real Madrid, which has a 123-year history, it's rare for them to ever acknowledge that they've played well. We know the high standards, and there have been coaches here who won three Champions Leagues because, after training, they went home to water their gardens. I know where I am, what Real Madrid is , and the expectations placed on me from the outside. I'm very clear on what it means to play well and what the fans want their team to convey. That's what the club has conveyed throughout its history because, otherwise, we wouldn't have this record. There's one very important thing here, and that's winning.”

Q: On Xabi Alonso:

Arbeloa: “Nothing has come before anything else. He wished me the best, and the reverse would be true. We have a friendship that transcends everything. Yesterday we talked for a while, and he wished me all the best. I wished him the same because he's a fantastic coach, and I'm sure he'll do very well in the future. We'll always be together, just like we have been all these years.”

Q: The youth academy:

Arbeloa: “ Real Madrid’s youth academy is the best in the world, and we’ve been proving it for many years. There are players who came up through La Fábrica all over the world. Tomorrow we’ll be facing some of them. I’ve been fortunate enough to coach many of them over the years, and they’ve brought me to where I am today. They have a tremendous opportunity because the first-team coach knows them better than anyone, and the standards I set for them are the standards of Real Madrid. They know I’m counting on them.”

Raul Asencio — IMAGO / Gribaudi/ImagePhoto

Q: Mourinho:

Arbeloa: “I haven’t spoken to him yet. It was a privilege and an honor to be coached by him. I have a great relationship with him. He influenced me a lot, and I carry that within me. I’m going to be Álvaro Arbeloa. It’s true that I’m not afraid of failure, I never have been, but I’m sure that if I tried to be him, I would fail spectacularly.”

Q: The influence of the coaches he's had:

Arbeloa: “I've had many, very good and very different. I don't want to leave any of them out. They were very important in my career and a great influence on who I am as a coach. Each one has their own way of being, and I try to take the best from each of them. Many are legends and have won everything in football, even transcending the sport itself. I hope I do half as well as many of them.”

Q: The refereeing:

Arbeloa: “I haven’t even played a single match and you’re already asking me about this. I’m very focused on what might happen tomorrow, preparing the team well, and starting off on the right foot with a win. We’re playing for a competition, and nothing else worries me. My players and tomorrow’s opponent do, though I see you’re not too worried about them.”

Q: On Vini Jr.:

Arbeloa: “I don’t dwell on scenarios that haven’t happened yet, and I’m focused on tomorrow’s match. We’re lucky to have him because he’s one of the most unpredictable players in the world and beloved by the fans. We all saw Sunday’s game, and that’s the Vini Jr. we want: someone who enjoys himself, dances, plays well, and is capable of turning a Clásico around and making a difference. That’s the only thing I’m concerned about and what I want to see from him.”

Q: On Albacete:

Arbeloa: “I’ve found a group of players who are very eager. We have a whole season ahead of us, and despite the effort this week, everyone is incredibly willing to be on the pitch tomorrow. They’re just as excited as I am. They’re eager for things to go well, to win, to fight for everything, and to enjoy it, which is what it’s all about.”

“All the players are starting from scratch with me. It’s a new beginning. That’s all there is to it. I don’t think you’d ask the Castilla players if I treated them well or not. It’s a new beginning for everyone, and we’re all aware that we have to win, the difficulty, and what it means to play a one-off tie. I’ve seen everyone very eager and excited to have a great season and for everything to go well for us.”

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