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ALVARO ARBELOA RESPONDS TO MOURINHO’S "SPECIAL PLAYER" COMMENTS BEFORE UCL CLASH
Alvaro Arbeloa admits feeling emotional after Jose Mourinho called him "one of his boys." Get the full Real Madrid vs Benfica report.
Real Madrid’s manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, couldn’t hide his happiness after hearing what Benfica boss—and his old mentor—Jose Mourinho had to say about him. These two haven’t faced each other as managers before, but that’s about to change on Wednesday night when Real Madrid play Benfica.
Mourinho, never one to mince words, said Arbeloa “might not have been one of the best players” he coached at Madrid, “but maybe he was one of the best.” That kind of thing means a lot to Arbeloa, and it was all anyone wanted to talk about before the match, especially with Madrid aiming for a Champions League top eight spot.
Arbeloa just grinned when asked about it. “Of course, I watched his press conference. I never missed them as a player—we’d all crowd around in the dressing room to watch—and I didn’t miss it today, either. Honestly, hearing him talk about me like that, it got to me. He’s been so much more than just a coach. He’s played a huge role in my life, on and off the pitch. Now I consider him a great friend. I just want to thank him for those words. I can’t wait to see him tomorrow and give him a big hug.”
People love to call Arbeloa a Mourinho disciple, but he doesn’t see it that way. He said at his first press conference that he wasn’t trying to copy Mourinho’s style. Sure, earlier in his playing days, he joked that he tried to be “Mourinhista” in everything he did. But now?
“He’s a role model, for sure. I said it from day one—there’ll never be another Jose. Anyone who tries to imitate him is just setting themselves up to fail. I learned that early. My job is to be myself. Of course, that means there’s a part of Jose in what I do, and I learned a ton from him—how to communicate, how to think about tactics. But at the end of the day, I have to be Alvaro Arbeloa. That’s what I bring. Tomorrow, we’ll both want to win. He’s one of the most competitive people I know—but so am I. What matters is those 90 minutes.”
Arbeloa doesn’t just thank Mourinho, though. “Honestly, I’m grateful to every manager I’ve had, from when I was a kid. Caparrós gave me that push to get to Liverpool. Benítez was key for me, and when I got back to Madrid, I worked with some amazing coaches. I’ve been lucky. Football teaches you there’s no single recipe for success. All my coaches were good leaders with big ideas.”
Even though everyone assumes Arbeloa and Mourinho talk all the time, Mourinho said they haven’t really been in touch since Arbeloa took the Madrid job. Arbeloa laughed that off. “We do talk, just not all the time. I mean, I know what Mourinho’s like. His phone must be chaos—you get why he changes his number so much. I try not to bother him unless I really need to. But he’s the kind of friend you could call at three in the morning, and he’d pick up and help with anything. That’s our relationship. We keep in touch, but I try not to be a pest.”
Mourinho also said he couldn’t really give Arbeloa any advice but just hoped he was enjoying himself in the Madrid hot seat. When someone asked Arbeloa if he was comfortable, he didn’t hesitate. “It’s a huge responsibility, no doubt. You can only do this job if you love it. That’s what I’m doing—trying to get everything out of my players. It’s the same with everything in life: you have to enjoy it, even though it’s hard work.”
Right now, Real Madrid are sitting third in their Champions League group. Even if they lose, they’ll probably get a bye to the Round of 16. Win or draw, and it’s pretty much locked in. And if Bayern Munich slip up against PSV, Madrid could even land the second seed.
REAL MADRID FACE VALENCIA WITHOUT JUDE BELLINGHAM, RODRYGO, AND VINICIUS JUNIOR
Real Madrid faces a massive injury crisis with Bellingham, Militão, and Rodrygo out as they head to Valencia for a vital clash.
Real Madrid are chasing their seventh straight La Liga win and a fourth under Álvaro Arbeloa, but the road ahead isn’t easy.
They're still trying to catch up to Barcelona at the top, and Sunday's away game at Valencia suddenly feels even bigger. After falling short in the Supercopa de España, Copa del Rey, and Champions League, La Liga means more than ever right now.
Madrid usually does well against Valencia, but Arbeloa’s got a headache this week. The injury list just keeps growing, and a few of his most important players are missing.
Here’s where things stand on the injury front before Madrid head to the Mestalla.
Jude Bellingham
He picked up a hamstring injury just 10 minutes into the wild 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano and had to come off right away. The word is he’s out for about a month, so he’ll miss both Champions League playoff games against Benfica.
Éder Militão
Éder Militão just can’t catch a break. He’s back on the sidelines with another serious hamstring injury after barely playing in the last two years. At this point, he probably won’t return until late in the season.
Rodrygo
Rodrygo came on as a sub against Rayo Vallecano, then left with a hamstring problem himself. He’s out of the Valencia game and will be missing for about 10 days. Since he’s already suspended for the Benfica first leg, he won’t see much of the pitch this month.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Another defender, another injury. Trent Alexander-Arnold has been out for two months with a thigh problem, but he’s finally close to returning. He could make the squad for Valencia—though if he plays, expect him to come off the bench.
Antonio Rüdiger
Rüdiger has been missing since the Supercopa in Saudi Arabia with a knee injury, but he’s getting closer. There’s a chance he could be back for the trip to Valencia, but, just like Alexander-Arnold, he’d likely start on the bench.
Ferland Mendy
Mendy just can’t stay fit. He’s only managed three games all season, but he’s on the mend from a muscle injury and might be available for Valencia. Whether Arbeloa actually puts him on the field is still up in the air.
Vinicius Junior
At least Vinicius isn’t injured—he’s just suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card last weekend. He’ll be back for the Real Sociedad match on February 14.
DISCOVER WHY REAL MADRID ARE RECONSIDERING LIVERPOOL’S IBRAHIMA KONATé
Real Madrid have reportedly reignited their pursuit of Ibrahima Konaté as his Liverpool contract enters its final months.
Real Madrid need a veteran centre-back this summer, and with the options drying up, they’re circling back to Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté. That’s what the latest reports say, anyway.
Not long ago, Konaté seemed destined for Madrid. He was constantly linked with the club, just like his old teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, and he didn’t extend his contract with Liverpool, so he’s down to his last year, future up in the air.
But that interest fizzled out fast when Konaté stumbled through the start of the 2025–26 season. Suddenly, Madrid wanted nothing to do with him. The rumours said they’d moved on.
Now, things have changed. After a messy winter transfer window where Madrid didn’t manage to sign anyone, ESPN says they’re watching Konaté again. They need someone who can anchor their defence for the next decade.
Madrid’s defence has been a mess for a while. Injuries tore right through the squad—guys like Valverde, Tchouaméni, and Camavinga, who are all midfielders, had to fill in at the back because Militão, Rüdiger, Alaba, and Carvajal kept dropping out.
Last summer, Madrid thought they had fixed things by bringing in Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Álvaro Carreras. That plan didn’t work out. Alexander-Arnold can’t stay fit—he’s played just 16 games. Huijsen’s first season has been rocky.
Now Alaba’s leaving at the end of the season, Rüdiger might go too, and that leaves just three real centre-backs. Militão’s always hurt, Huijsen’s shaky, and suddenly, Madrid are desperate again. They need another defender, and fast.
But they blew their shot in January. They didn’t act, and now other clubs have picked up the players Madrid wanted.
When Madrid bailed on Konaté in November, they had other options: Marc Guéhi, Dayot Upamecano, and Jérémy Jacquet. Guéhi’s gone to Man City. Jacquet is joining Liverpool next season. Upamecano looks set to sign a new deal at Bayern. Just like that, the list is empty.
So Madrid are back where they started. They might have to bring Konaté in after all. He’s 26, fits right in with Madrid’s French crew, and would link up again with Alexander-Arnold. Even when he’s having a rough game, he’s still an upgrade over what Madrid has now.
Is he their dream signing? Not really, not after the season he’s had—his manager, Arne Slot, even called him out for being “at the crime scene” too often. But he’d come on a free transfer, and he’s got experience, he’s strong, and he’s great in the air. If Konaté can pull himself together in the second half of the season, don’t be surprised if he ends up in Madrid after all.
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