Arbeloa shoulders blame for Castilla's shock Cup exit: 'I've seen players who wanted to win'
Real Madrid Castilla boss Álvaro Arbeloa defends his squad selection despite Copa del Rey elimination against Albacete, insisting his players showed proper attitude.
Former Real Madrid defender turned Castilla manager Álvaro Arbeloa fronted up to the media after his side’s painful Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Albacete, refusing to throw his players under the proverbial bus.
Taking responsibility
The young gaffer was in no mood for excuses after watching his team crash out of the cup competition, acknowledging the weight of expectation that comes with the famous white shirt.
“At this club, even a draw feels like a tragedy, so imagine a defeat like this,” Arbeloa told reporters, clearly feeling the pressure after the shock result.
Rather than pointing fingers at his players, the 41-year-old took the blame squarely on his own shoulders: “I’m responsible because I made the decisions, the substitutions… I can only thank them for their effort and try to lift spirits.”
Standing by his squad selection
Despite the disappointing result, Arbeloa maintained he wouldn’t change his team selection if given another chance:
- Defended his squad choices as “adequate”
- Praised his “extraordinary squad” despite the defeat
- Insisted he “would do the same again” regarding his lineup
No fear of failure
When pressed about whether the result constituted a failure, Arbeloa showed impressive resilience: “I’m not afraid of failure. Whoever wants to label it that way, I understand. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that failure is on the road to success.”
This philosophical approach suggests the former right-back is taking valuable lessons from his early coaching setbacks.
Vinicius praise
Interestingly, Arbeloa reserved special praise for Vinicius Jr., who apparently made himself available despite question marks over his fitness:
“It was positive to see where he came from, his efforts, that he wanted to be here, play his minutes and not hide. That’s the Vinicius I want to see.”
Looking ahead
The gaffer made it clear his ambitions remain undimmed despite this cup exit. “I’m not here to enhance my CV, but to help the club and add more trophies to the cabinet,” he stated, already focusing on bouncing back in their next fixture.
For a club where drawing feels like a disaster, this early cup exit will sting, but Arbeloa’s willingness to front up and protect his players shows he’s learning the management game pretty sharpish. The real test now is how his young charges respond in their next outing.