Ruptly
"Alvaro Arbeloa downplayed Real Madrid's off-field issues ahead of Sunday's crucial clash with Espanyol, with victory essential to keep their La Liga title hopes alive if Barcelona beat Osasuna on Saturday. "I'm focused on tomorrow's match, that's the only thing on my mind [...] The future is tomorrow, that's what concerns me - the match against Espanyol, getting those three points, which are very important," the Real head coach said in a presser in Madrid on Saturday. It comes as speculation intensified regarding his potential dismissal and the return of former boss Jose Mourinho. Footage shows the squad's final training session ahead of the Espanyol tie, with major absences including key striker Kylian Mbappe and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Since replacing Xabi Alonso in January, Arbeloa has struggled to manage Real Madrid's star-studded squad, winning just 14 of 23 matches compared to Alonso's 24 victories from 34 games. Internal tensions have also emerged, most notably his recent clash with midfielder Dani Ceballos, who remains sidelined despite being cleared of injury. Arbeloa refused to publicly comment on the situation, stating, "It's been more than 20 years since I first entered the Real Madrid dressing room, and the first thing I learned from the senior players is that what happens in the Real Madrid dressing room stays in the Real Madrid dressing room." The gaffer also attributed the team's recent struggles to a lack of cohesion. "Nowadays you don't beat anyone just by stepping off the bus [...] even with the talent we have, it's not enough to rely on individual play," he stressed. Real Madrid are on the verge of losing the La Liga title race, sitting 11 points behind leaders Barcelona with 33 games played. Draw or defeat against Espanyol on Sunday, combined with a Barca victory over Osasuna on Saturday, would officially end Los Blancos' hopes of silverware this season."
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