Real Madrid coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, has appeared before the media on the eve of the momentous Champions League duel against Benfica. The match is irremediably marked by what happened in the Lisbon match between Vinicius and Prestianni.
The Argentine player of the Portuguese team has been suspended by UEFA and Arbeloa has referred to this body in the first question from the press. “We have not talked about Prestianni in the locker room and my opinion is the same: We are facing an opportunity to strike a blow against racism. “UEFA has always waved the flag of this fight and has the possibility of striking a blow.”
The white coach has been asked about the words of his admired Jose Mourinho towards Vinicius in which he criticized the Brazilian’s attitude towards the Lisbon public. “I believe the same thing I said last week, here and in Lisbon: Vini scored a very nice, great goal. And nothing he can do, or has done, justifies an act of racism. I said it and I repeat it: that is the most important thing. Nothing justifies an act of racism“.
The one who has gotten wet about it has been Thibaut Courtois: “Well, Mourinho is Mourinho and as a coach you will always defend your club. But it bothers me that Vinicius’s celebration is used; because when they score against Real Madrid, it is double or triple. It has happened and we must turn the page. It has happened and we cannot justify an alleged act of racism, for a celebration.”
Arbeloa once again highlighted Vinicius’ mental strength against these episodes of racism in football. “He has always shown a lot of courage and a lot of character. Anyone who was in his situation, I don’t know how they would react. “He has always done it bravely, demonstrating a great personality and a lot of character. “He is a fighter and I am sure that tomorrow he will go out to fight and play a great game and continue showing that he is one of the best footballers on the planet,” he praised.
He also advanced that Kylian Mbappé is “prepared to play tomorrow”although “he has been affected for several weeks” by a knee problem. “I want to value the commitment he is showing. I think it is very important to value the great effort that Kylian is making, that he is trying to help us on the field. He is a differential player. The defenses, when they have him in front of them, know that in any action he can solve a game. He is ready for tomorrow,” he stated.
“I don’t think that Mbappé’s problem is the goal, or how he does it. On the field one has to make decisions. If I had to highlight one quality of Mbappé, even though he has many very good ones, it is that he is a very intelligent player and person, who knows very well where to move. Of course there will be situations in which spaces can be created inside the area, we need not only Kylian, but other players to be able to get there. Kylian knows perfectly well what he has to do on the field and only You have to see his numbers to understand that he is doing well,” he added.
In addition, he addressed the absence of Mourinho on the Bernabéu bench after being sent off in the first leg. “That José is not on the field, I think it will not be the first time in his career and he has always prepared his teams well so that they are at a high level in his absence. I expect a great Benfica tomorrow, they are going to make it very difficult for us, they will surely adjust many things from the first leg and we hope that it will be a great game, a great show and that Real Madrid will win,” asked the man from Salamanca.
“I want to see a Real Madrid very similar to the one in Lisbon, and that is what we are working for. We are very eager, very excited to enjoy a Champions League night at the Bernabéu, because we know how beautiful it is, the atmosphere that is always formed… We have a lot at stake, because whoever wins will be in the pot, which is our goal, so we are very eager and with all the energy we have so that tomorrow we can enjoy a great match and that the fans also enjoy,” he said.
Finally, Arbeloa analyzed the words of Joan Laporta, candidate for the presidency of FC Barcelona, who said that “the biggest scandal is that Madrid has appointed referees for 70 years.” “For me, the biggest scandal remains that, after three years, the ‘Negreira case’, which is the most serious case in the history of Spanish football, is still unresolved,” he concluded.
More than 1,800 troops will ensure security
The security device for the match will have a deployment of more than 1,800 troops who will ensure the proper development of a match classified as High Risk. This decision of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sports implies that clubs are required to adopt additional safety measures in the ticket sales system, separation of fans in the venues and access control to the stadium.
In addition, the security forces will reinforce their preventive deployments, especially regarding the surveillance of the fans, always in coordination with all the operators involved in the celebration of the sporting event and the protection of the attendees, according to a statement from the Government Delegation.
The operation will have agents from the Police Intervention Unit, the Information Brigade, Mobile Brigade, Canine Guides, Underground, Air Service and Drones of the National Police, as well as the Municipal Police, the Samur-Civil Protection, Firefighters, Real Madrid auxiliaries and a special deployment in the Metro.
Assistance is expected from more than 4,200 Portuguese fans with tickets for a stadium that will have a capacity of about 73,000 spectators. To speed up the work of the agents, it is recommended that attendees arrive at the stadium in advance to pass security checks.
