Arbeloa Insists La Liga Title Race Isn’t Over Despite Real Madrid’s Loss to Getafe

Madrid – Real Madrid manager Álvaro Arbeloa remained optimistic about his team’s chances in the La Liga title race, despite a 1-0 defeat against Getafe at the Santiago Bernabéu on Monday. Despite the loss, which leaves Real Madrid four points behind league leaders Barcelona, Arbeloa asserted that the title is still within reach.

“There are 36 points left and it is not a goodbye to LaLiga,” Arbeloa stated in a post-match press conference. “And our goal is to add 36 points, no one is going to throw in the towel. This is Real Madrid and no one ever gives up. We are four points behind, but we are convinced that we can come back.”

Acknowledging the Defeat, Maintaining Belief

Arbeloa acknowledged the disappointing nature of the defeat but emphasized the team’s commitment to turning things around. “After a defeat like today things look very bleak, there is not much hope when you lose like this, but our goal is to turn it around. Nobody shoots here LaLiga nor throw anything,” he said. He also highlighted the need for improvement, stating, “We have a lot to improve, but I’m not going to give a single but to the efforts of my players. Can we do things better? Yes, but it’s my thing.”

Player Quality and Getafe’s Performance

The Real Madrid manager expressed confidence in his squad’s quality, pointing to players like Vinícius Júnior, Antonio Rüdiger, and Rodrygo, who he believed had clear scoring opportunities during the match. “I spot that we have great players, a great squad. Players who are going to recover and are going to help a lot. We have that goal of continuing to improve, of knowing that we can do things better. Today, understanding the criticism, but by playing poorly, worse or average, we deserved to score more goals than Getafe,” he explained.

Arbeloa also praised Getafe’s performance, stating, “Not a single criticism for Getafe because they do what they are allowed.”

Areas for Improvement and Addressing Absences

Arbeloa identified the need to improve attacking threat on the right wing. “We had to be aggressive on the first line and on both wings; we always have that easy way out to find comfort but we have to be able to have a constant threat from both sides,” he noted.

While acknowledging the absence of key players like Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, Arbeloa refused to use their absence as an excuse. “When you lose you always remember important players who haven’t played, but I can’t produce excuses. We have enough players and quality to win games,” he affirmed.

As of January 13, 2026, Arbeloa was appointed as the first team coach of Real Madrid, having previously managed the club’s youth teams since 2020 [Real Madrid Official Announcement]. He has a preferred formation of 4-3-3 [Transfermarkt].