Alvaro Arbeloa (43) officially acknowledged his farewell with Real Madrid. He also left a tribute to Dani Carvajal alongside the final match.
Real Madrid published Arbeloa's press conference remarks on the club's official website on the 22nd (Korean time). Real will play its final 2025-2026 La Liga match on the 24th at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain, against Athletic Club.
Arbeloa said he wanted to say goodbye to the fans with a victory and a good performance. He said the last home match is special and that the most important thing is to make sure the fans can enjoy the match.
He effectively declared his farewell regarding his future.
He said this season is clearly his last match as Real Madrid manager. He added he did not know whether it would be his final match as a Real manager in life. He said he had served Real in various roles for 20 years and that this place had always felt like home.
The person who received the most attention at the press conference was Carvajal.
Arbeloa called Carvajal a symbolic player who shows what a Real Madrid player should be and emphasized that he is special as a youth academy graduate who first dug into the training ground, a figure of pride for all Madrid fans.
He said Carvajal would start tomorrow and that he was certain the fans would all rise to applaud when he was substituted and at the end of the match. He added Carvajal would look back proudly on a career dedicated to Real for a long time and that Madrid fans were truly lucky to have a player like him.
He also lavished praise on Carvajal's status.
Arbeloa said Carvajal is a player who can be placed alongside the greatest fullbacks in history and assessed that he was overwhelming in both attack and defense, noting that the hardest thing for a modern fullback is balance, which Carvajal executed perfectly.
He added that Carvajal is a player who has improved himself every year, is a born competitor, and has always maintained a high level even against the best players.
He also mentioned the possibility that Vinicius Junior might miss the match, saying the player had received club permission for personal reasons and that it was still unknown whether he would play tomorrow.
Questions also arose about Barcelona president Joan Laporta's remarks and the Negreira case. Arbeloa took a hard line.
He said he did not place great importance on Laporta's words and that they are still waiting for a clear conclusion on matters that have long tarnished Spanish football, such as the Negreira case.
He argued that referees linked to that case have continued to officiate matches and that they have seen instances in which Real players bled and no penalty was awarded. He said it is not normal for such a referee to be appointed as the referee for a Copa del Rey final and that it is their responsibility to continue raising the issue.
He also dismissed the possibility of joining Jose Mourinho's coaching staff.
Arbeloa said Mourinho already has an excellent coaching staff and that there is no possibility he would join. He said that over the past four months he had thought only of Real Madrid rather than his future and that once the season ends he will consider what is best for him.
He said that just a year ago he was a youth team coach, that he now feels he has grown a lot, and that he is ready for a new challenge.
He also spoke directly about rumors of conflicts with the squad.
He said it is impossible to maintain the exact same relationship with all 25 players and that naturally there were differences of opinion, calling it a common occurrence between a coach and players. He said the important thing is how problems are resolved and that the players always showed him respect and he did the same.
He said this season was a difficult one with many problems happening at once and that it is natural for players who did not play to feel dissatisfied, but added that there were many dedicated players and he maintained good relationships with most of them, saying he became a better coach thanks to the players.
Finally, he expressed gratitude to the president, the club and the squad, saying he had come to understand Real Madrid more deeply over the past eight years and that he hoped to be able to return someday as he said his farewell.
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