Manager insists there is a lot left for both teams to play for in the league
Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa is confident his side can overtake their rivals Barcelona in the title race if they remain disciplined and show character.
Madrid ended their run of two league defeats with a late victory against Celta Vigo at Balaidos, after Federico Valverde’s deflected strike found the net in stoppage time. They trail Barcelona by a single point but the Catalans have a game in hand.
“There are many points left, 33 if I’m not mistaken, and at this point it is almost as if the League had not started,” said Arbeloa. “There is a lot left, because all the games are now against teams that have their own objectives and every match is going to be a war.
“Today we came with 10 casualties, if I’m not mistaken, and the game that the players have made on a field like this has a lot of merit.
“We all know how hard and difficult Balaidos is and how Celta came playing football, the confidence they had.
“So I am very happy, especially for the personality, for the people who have wanted to come, who have wanted to push and who in a difficult moment have wanted to believe. As I said yesterday, these are the moments when Real Madrid players are seen and today I have seen many.”
Arbeloa told reporters he was counting on Friday’s victory as an inspiration as Madrid prepare to face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“For me it is a very important victory just because you face Wednesday’s game in a different way, which is very hard,” said Arbeloa. “Especially because it guides us a little on the path we want to follow in each game. This is Real Madrid: fight to the end, believe and fight.
“Surely we can do a lot of things better, but the personality and character that we have shown today hopefully will be a turning point and that, from here on, everything will go much better.”
