Transcript: Alvaro Arbeloa Talks Carvajal's Status After Real Madrid's Win vs Valencia
Real Madrid came away with three points against Valencia, in what was a game of patience. Second-half goals from Alvaro Arbeloa and Kylian Mbappe earned the win against a difficult opponent.
Alvaro Arbeloa was happy with the performance against a team that Los Blancos have had trouble against over the years at the Mestalla.
The coach was also asked about the return of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and also about the situation of Dani Carvajal. The latter did not see the field again, which may feel disappointing for him.
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— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 8, 2026
Alvaro Arbeloa spoke to the media after Los Blancos earned a crucial three points in La Liga against Valencia. (per Real Madrid).
“We knew where we were coming. I think it was three wins in the last 11 years, if I’m not mistaken. I’ve been fortunate to come to Mestalla many years as a player and I know the challenge this stadium always presents. For the fans and the players, it is an important match when Madrid comes to play. Also, with this five-man defensive line they used against us, it was going to be a game where we had to be very patient and work hard. The victory came from solidity, commitment, and playing a very serious match. I think we were deserved winners.”Alvaro Arbeloa
Q: What did you think of the substitutions?
Arbeloa: “Valverde performs spectacularly wherever you place him. I’m aware that where he’s happiest is in the midfield and that’s also where we can get the most out of him and where we need him the most. David Jiménez also deserves tremendous credit for the rival he had against him. It was unfortunate that chance didn’t go in. For the academy players to play a match at this level and contribute as David Jiménez did is fantastic news for the entire Real Madrid academy, for him, who played a fantastic match, and I’m very proud. As for Trent, after being out for a long time, we are taking the same approach with him as we will with others returning from injury. We are proceeding cautiously and calmly because what we want is for him to find his rhythm, his best playing form, and that’s how it will be with Trent.”
Q: What is Carvajal's status and how long could he be out?
Arbeloa: “I’ll be very clear. I’m seeing Dani improve in training day by day. Gradually. Obviously, I’m not going to take any risks. When we had days off, he was at Valdebebas working. Inside the dressing room, I don’t need to explain the importance of Dani. He’s the one who always has something to say before and after matches. On the day of Rayo, today, you always hear him. It’s very important for the players to have a reference like him in the dressing room, and I’m sure he’s going to find his best form. With the patience and effort we’re putting in and his dedication, I’m confident that he’s getting closer to regaining his relevance.”
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 8, 2026
Q: What does it mean to have Mbappé at Real Madrid as a coach, and can he surpass Cristiano Ronaldo?
Arbeloa: “It’s a great fortune, because right now he’s the best player in the world with what he’s proving day in and day out, game after game. As I said before, what Cristiano achieved seemed extraterrestrial, something impossible to match and no one could come close. Mbappé has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the conditions to follow in his footsteps, and you never know if he’ll be able to surpass him. But if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”
Q: Satisfaction with the clean sheet:
Alonso:“That’s one of the things. Of course, we can raise our level of play in terms of brilliance and other aspects. We surely have a lot of room for improvement. A team is built on solidity, on staying united, on commitment. We showed it in La Cerámica, and we did today as well. I don’t think Courtois had to make any saves. That’s the path the players are following: helping each other, commitment, dedication, sacrifice… All those values that I think are very important for the team, the players demonstrated them again today, and from there, we just need to keep improving.”
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Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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