Alvaro Arbeloa: “If anyone is responsible for the defeat, it’s me”

Madrid, Spain – Real Madrid head coach Álvaro Arbeloa fronted the media after his side slipped to a damaging home defeat against Getafe at the Bernabéu on Monday night, and he left no doubt where accountability lies.

“We have 36 points left to play for, and our goal is to get them,” Arbeloa said, refusing to surrender the title race despite a result that leaves the outlook bleak. “I know things look very bleak; there’s not much hope when you lose like this. But we have a very difficult match in Vigo. I won’t criticise my players’ effort. Is it my responsibility? Of course it is. It’s true we created chances to score. It’s also true that we can play better. I know that if anyone is responsible for the defeat, it’s me, and I accept that.”

The hosts dominated possession and carved out the clearer openings, only to be undone by a spectacular Getafe strike. Arbeloa pointed to a succession of missed opportunities, citing efforts from Vinicius, Rüdiger and Rodrygo as evidence that his team merited more.

“We had clearer chances than Getafe,” he insisted. “Several chances where we deserved a goal. And football isn’t about deserving. We knew the kind of game we were facing. For me, that’s the takeaway.”

The coach rejected any notion of surrender in the remaining fixtures. “Nobody’s going to throw in the towel. It’s a gap we think we can close. It’s Real Madrid, and nobody’s going to give up.”

Arbeloa acknowledged the need for tactical tweaks, particularly when breaking down deep-lying defences. “We should have been more aggressive in the first line of attack, on both wings. We always tend to look for that easy option, which is Vinicius, but we need width on both flanks. We have to correct that and improve.”

He also addressed the match’s physical nature, noting frequent stoppages but stopping short of criticising the officials. “The referee allowed this game to go on, with many stoppages and fouls. I have no criticism of them, because they do what the referee allows.”

Late substitutions saw Dean brought on to add dribbling impetus from centre-back, Dani Carvajal introduced for width, and Rodrygo deployed for creativity in tight spaces. The withdrawal of young midfielder Thiago drew boos from the Bernabéu crowd, though Arbeloa praised the teenager’s personality and accepted the supporters’ reaction.

Quizzed on whether the absence of stars Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé had tipped the balance, the coach remained firm. “When you lose, you always remember those players, but we have enough quality to win matches. I won’t make excuses.”

Discipline issues resurfaced as well, with Mastantuono receiving a red card and Huijsen and Carraras picking up cautions. Arbeloa conceded, “These things shouldn’t happen. I understand that Mastantuono was sent off for a reason. And I understand that Huijsen and Carreras didn’t seek out their yellow cards.”

With a trip to Celta Vigo looming, Arbeloa’s message was clear: the title fight continues, the squad must channel its frustration into improvement, and the blame for Monday’s setback rests squarely on his shoulders.