Álvaro Arbeloa showed strong leadership and accountability after his team’s disappointing defeat, openly accepting full responsibility for the result and shielding his players from criticism. Speaking after the match, the former Real Madrid defender turned coach made it clear that the decisions were his alone, stressing that the players should not be blamed for the outcome.
“I’m the only one responsible for tonight’s defeat,” Arbeloa said. “That’s because I’m the one who made the decisions. For the players, it’s not easy to do what’s asked of them with just one training session.”
Arbeloa’s comments came amid frustration from fans following the loss, but the Spanish coach was quick to defend his squad. He praised their effort and attitude, highlighting the challenges they faced under limited preparation time.
“My players did their all. I cannot blame them for anything,” he added. “They all understand the frustrations of the fans, but we will work to bounce back on Sunday.”
The 41-year-old also struck an optimistic and reflective tone, underlining his belief in growth through adversity. Drawing from his own experiences in football, Arbeloa spoke about failure as a necessary step on the road to success.