Álvaro Arbeloa Complains: “It Was Not a Red Card for Valverde”
Real Madrid claimed the city derby after defeating Atlético de Madrid in an intense and highly contested match. As is often the case in these encounters, controversy was unavoidable. This time, the spotlight fell on the sending-off of Federico Valverde, who received a red card in the 77th minute after a hard challenge on Álex Baena.
In the post-match press conference, Álvaro Arbeloa made it clear that, in his opinion, the play did not deserve a red card. The Madrid coach explained that the referee even approached him to give his version of the incident, arguing that it was a challenge with excessive force. Even so, Arbeloa disagreed with the decision and stood by his player.
After the dismissal, Real Madrid had to endure heavy pressure in the final stretch of the match as they were reduced to ten men. Despite this, Arbeloa said he felt proud of his team for the mental strength and character they showed to hold on in such a demanding clash.
Key Performers and Match Consequences
Federico Valverde, as is often the case, was once again a key figure. In the first half, he created a spectacular play that struck the post and later made his mark on the scoresheet. The Uruguayan capitalized on a defensive mistake by Atlético de Madrid and finished with great quality using the outside of his foot, delivering another decisive moment in a big match.
Álvaro Arbeloa also spoke about Kylian Mbappé, noting that he looked sharp in the minutes he played. However, he hinted that the Frenchman will be introduced gradually to help him regain his best form. He also believes that with his national team, he can gain more minutes and continue building match fitness.
Valverde’s sending-off represents a significant absence for the next league match against Mallorca. However, it is not all bad news for Real Madrid, as Jude Bellingham returned and played 15 minutes, leaving very positive impressions in his comeback.
Thus, Real Madrid will be without Federico Valverde for one match, but at the same time, they are beginning to recover key players in the title race.
International Break as an Opportunity
Additionally, the international break could be very useful for the team, both to recover injured players and to give more rhythm to those in need of minutes. One of them is Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was not called up by his national team and will have more time to get back to full fitness.
