Marca spoke to Álvaro Arbeloa during his campus in Tres Cantos yesterday. Sixty children aged six to 14 are taking part in the first-ever Campus Arbeloa, and Álvaro showed up to say hi and talk with them. This session will last until July 15, and there will be another one from July 18-30.
The new season begins in a week. How are you preparing for the new season?
It always starts with all the hope in the world to do things well. On a personal level, my desire is to improve, to perform well and to help the team.
There are a lot of expectations in the second year of Mourinho’s project. He says that year is usually the most successful one.
There are always expectations. It’s normal for this team, with the players that it has, to have big challenges. I have the feeling that this year will be a great one.
Are the Liga and the Champions the big objectives?
They’re the grand prize for everyone. It’s a lot for Madrid to have Barça win the Liga for three consecutive years, so we’re going to fight to get them off the throne. Then there’s Europe, where La Décima is the other big challenge.
The team is ready to face these big challenges that you speak of.
It’s clear that we have a great group of players and the team has been reinforced with some great signings. The group is very young. The important thing is not how good they are now, but how good they can become.
Is a deeper group needed to win the treble?
Right now, the deeper the team is, the more guarantees you have of being competitive in all the tournaments.
You and Villa formed were the protagonists of a play that is considered one of the causes of the pique between the Spanish internationals on both teams. Do you feel that you were blamed? Has it affected you in any way?
Well, perhaps in the media of Barcelona… We all know the game and I should stay out of this discussion. Each one does their work on the field and you have to forget about whether you’re blamed or not. I try to maintain my distance from a circumstance that could lead to a media war.
Do you regret anything?
There’s a phrase I like a lot: many times, it’s better not to give explanations, because your enemies won’t believe you, and your friends don’t need them. Anyway, the image is there for each one to think what they want of that moment. Those who know me know what could have happened. The truth is I’m not worried if this has hurt my image or anything like that.
But now you have a reputation as a rough player.
I don’t know. But I’m not worried. I think that on the day of the Copa, I had a good game, like the rest of my teammates, and that’s what I’ll remember.
What is so special about Mou?
He’s a great coach and a great professional. He’s very demanding and he knows how to transmit that to his players.
What do you think about his new role as the boss of everything?
In a club like Madrid, it’s important that the coach has to power to decide and to be in charge. If he’s the one deciding on the line-ups, he knows what he wants and what the team needs. I believe this is a better way to make decisions.
As a canterano, do you understand why the youth team players are uneasy with the signings of Varane or Altintop?
It’s been like that for many years. It also happened in my time. At least now, they let them leave earlier. We had to stay for several years because we had to come up through the ranks, and when we got there, it wasn’t made easy for us because they wanted to keep us in the second division. The important thing is to create good players, and if canteranos such as Sarabia or Morata aren’t going to have minutes with the first team, the best thing is to let them leave so that they can grow outside.
Do you feel appreciated? Do you believe Mourinho has confidence in you?
Yes, I played many games last year and that’s the best argument for me to feel important.
What are your thoughts on Mou’s idea to give the captain’s armband to a field player to pressure the referees more?
I don’t know anything about this. I can only say that the figure of Iker is very important and very representative for all of us.
