“I’m responsible for this defeat, just like in Albacete,” Arbeloa said. “I feel totally responsible when things don’t go well. But we haven’t been eliminated from the Champions League, we have two matches left. And we’re going to face those two matches.”
No Regrets Over Controversial Comments
Arbeloa was also asked about his earlier claim that forwards are not required to defend. He stood by his comments, arguing that blaming the forwards for the loss was not accurate.
“I don’t regret anything I said, it’s what I believe,” he stated. “If the conclusion is that we lose because the forwards don’t run, I completely disagree.”
A Performance Far Below the Standard
Reflecting on the result, Arbeloa admitted that Madrid fell well short of the level required.
“We were far from what we want to be, from the demands of the opponent, from the atmosphere, from what was at stake,” he said. “We weren’t able to perform at the required level for 90 minutes. We knew we had to work hard, we’re aware that there’s a lot to do. We have to look ahead. To win these games, you have to do a lot of things right for 90 minutes.”
The Final Moments and Benfica’s Risk
On Benfica’s dramatic late winner, which came from a goalkeeper’s long clearance, Arbeloa said: “It’s not the first time a goalkeeper has scored against me. They had to take a risk, we were down to nine men, we had to score too. They took the risk and they won.”
Acknowledging Benfica’s Quality
Arbeloa said he was not surprised by Benfica’s intensity and tactical discipline, insisting the opposition had matched the occasion better.
“I wasn’t surprised, I said yesterday that the demands of the match were going to be maximum,” he said. “I knew the level of the opposition and their manager. I told the players that. I wasn’t able to get the players to perform at the level I wanted them to. If the team doesn’t perform at the level I want, the responsibility is always mine.”
Selection Decisions Under Scrutiny
The coach defended his decision to start Cestero ahead of Dani Ceballos, explaining it was a tactical choice aimed at avoiding early dismissals.
“It was a technical decision,” Arbeloa said. “We needed to avoid the situation that happened with Asencio, everyone in defence had a card. I wanted to protect the team a little, I knew they could beat us in an attack. In the end, they took it out on Raúl. I have a lot of confidence in Cestero, he was very good for us. That’s all there is to it.”
Lack of Intensity and Discipline
When asked about the team’s lack of intensity, Arbeloa did not hide his frustration.
“We lacked a lot of things. A lot of things,” he said. “It was a Champions League match against an opponent who was playing for their lives in front of their fans. They played with intensity and attacked very well. There’s no single reason, we lacked a lot of things to beat Benfica today.”
He added that the red cards were a result of emotional lapses.
“Frustration, for not being able to control their emotions at times. That’s how it is.”
Referee and Future Matchups
Arbeloa declined to comment on the referee, saying he preferred to focus on his team’s performance.
“Well, I think today I’d rather not talk about the referee, given the performance of my team, for which I am responsible. I’d rather not comment.”
Looking ahead, he acknowledged that Madrid could face Benfica again depending on the draw.
“We’ll have to wait and see who we get.”