Arbeloa Blasts Referee Luck and Demands a Roaring Right Wing

Performance, Officiating and the Struggle to Move the Ball

Alvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid's coach, expressed disappointment after a 2-1 loss to Osasuna in La Liga, played at El Sadar. He noted that Madrid did not execute well and that Osasuna took advantage of their opportunities, scoring twice from limited chances while Madrid found it hard to move the ball against a dense defensive block.

Refereeing Decisions and a Busy Schedule

Arbeloa commented on the officiating, mentioning that some offside calls were very tight and that Madrid felt the calls did not go their way. He also pointed to the demanding calendar, acknowledging the challenge of playing midweek and then again on Sunday, but stressing that the team must raise their level far more.

Mbappe, Valverde and the Wings

Regarding player fitness, Arbeloa said Valverde was substituted as a precaution due to some discomfort. When asked about Mbappe's readiness, he explained that Mbappe rested last week, did not feature against Real Sociedad, and would play when both the medical team and the player feel ready. He added that the team had relied heavily on the left flank with Vinicius, and that balance on the right needed to improve to avoid becoming predictable against packed defenses.

Arbeloa further stated that the team must be able to threaten from both sides; relying mainly on the left is natural, but the same intensity on the right is essential for a harder-to-defend Madrid.

He closed with a reminder that improvement is required to satisfy expectations and the plan to sharpen the attack across the width of the pitch.

Punchline 1: If football were a spell, Madrid would still be waiting for the pause to end the lag on their passes. Punchline 2: They might need a faster internet connection on the right wing—less buffering, more breakthroughs.