It’s a bitter setback in the Spanish title race. Real Madrid lost 1-2 at Osasuna last night, and with a victory today, FC Barcelona could take over the top spot in the table.
“I hope this doesn’t weigh on us further, because in four days everything is on the line for us again,” said coach Álvaro Arbeloa after the final whistle, looking ahead to the Champions League playoff second leg against Benfica. Thanks to the 1-0 win in the first leg, Los Blancos have put themselves in a good position, but the defeat in the league is another setback.
“We know there are still many matchdays left in the league and it will be difficult to win them all. A team shows its strength when difficulties arise. What must not happen now is doubt,” the Real coach knows, who emphasized that he continues to firmly believe in his players.
The season is still long, but his team is by no means shaken, as Arbeloa explained when asked: “No one likes to lose, and especially not us, but we are by no means shaken. I already said yesterday that the season is still very long, that it has practically only just begun.”
Los Blancos have already played 25 of the 38 LaLiga matches, and it’s likely to remain a close title race with their rivals from Barcelona until the end.
But why couldn’t Los Blancos win against Osasuna? The Real coach commented on this as well: “In the first half, we lacked not only control, but also moving the ball faster and creating more danger.” Above all, the opponent’s compact defense posed challenges for his team.
This is something to work on in the coming weeks, and Arbeloa sees plenty of room for improvement. “If you’re not at 100%, anyone can beat you. We’re aware of that. Every away game is difficult, the opponents prepare intensively and give everything against us. We have to do the same,” he demanded from his players.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.