Arbeloa talks Mbappe, Valverde, Jimenez, Trent, Carvajal after Valencia 0-2 Real Madrid

Valencia – Real Madrid silenced Mestalla with a commanding 2-0 victory on Sunday night, snapping an 11-year hoodoo that had seen the visitors win here only three times in the past decade. Goals in either half, the second from Kylian Mbappe, lifted Los Blancos within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona and preserved Thibaut Courtois’ clean sheet in a performance manager Alvaro Arbeloa hailed as “solid, committed and serious.”

Speaking after the final whistle, Arbeloa underlined the scale of the challenge. “We knew where we were coming. I think it was three wins in the last 11 years, if I’m not mistaken. I’ve been fortunate to come to Mestalla for many years as a player and I know the challenge this stadium always presents.” Valencia’s five-man back line demanded patience, he added, but Madrid’s perseverance paid off once the opener arrived. “The victory came from solidity, commitment, and playing a very serious match. I think we were deserved winners.”

Central to the triumph was Federico Valverde, deployed once again in a hybrid role that has become a hallmark of Arbeloa’s reign. “Valverde performs spectacularly wherever you place him. I’m aware that where he’s happiest is in the midfield and that’s also where we can get the most out of him and where we need him the most,” the coach explained.

Sunday also marked a milestone for academy graduate David Jimenez, handed a surprise start at right-back. The 21-year-old twice came within inches of his first senior goal and more than held his own against Valencia’s lively left flank. “David Jimenez also deserves tremendous credit for the rival he had against him. It was unfortunate that the chance didn’t go in,” Arbeloa said. “For the academy players to play a match at this level and contribute as David Jimenez did is fantastic news for the entire Real Madrid academy, for him, who played a fantastic match, and I’m very proud.”

Attention then turned to the rehabilitation of Trent Alexander-Arnold, introduced for the final quarter in his first appearance since a lengthy lay-off. “After being out for a long time, we are taking the same approach with him as we will with others returning from injury. We are proceeding cautiously and calmly because what we want is for him to find his rhythm, his best playing form, and that’s how it will be with Trent,” Arbeloa confirmed.

The return of the England international leaves Dani Carvajal further down the pecking order; the club captain did not leave the bench and was visibly dejected at full-time. Arbeloa offered reassurance: “I’m seeing Dani improve in training day by day. Gradually. Obviously, I’m not going to take any risks. Inside the dressing room, I don’t need to explain the importance of Dani. He’s the one who always has something to say before and after matches. The players need to have a reference like him in the dressing room, and I’m sure he’s going to find his best form. With the patience and effort we’re putting in and his dedication, I’m confident that he’s getting closer to regaining his relevance.”

Mbappe’s 75th-minute strike sealed the points and maintained his blistering start to life in Spain. Asked what it is like to coach the French forward, Arbeloa did not hold back: “It’s a great fortune, because right now he’s the best player in the world with what he’s proving day in and day out, game after game.” Pressed on whether Mbappe could one day eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bernabeu legacy, the manager replied, “What Cristiano achieved seemed extraterrestrial, something impossible to match and no one could come close. Mbappe has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the conditions to follow in his footsteps, and you never know if he’ll be able to surpass him. But if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”

With back-to-back league clean sheets and a squad buying into collective sacrifice, Arbeloa believes the foundations are being laid for a sustained title push. “We surely have a lot of room for improvement. A team is built on solidity, on staying united, on commitment. We showed it in La Cerámica, and we did today as well. I don’t think Courtois had to make any saves. That’s the path the players are following: helping each other, commitment, dedication, and sacrifice. We just need to keep improving.”

Real Madrid now turn their attention to mid-week fixtures hoping the momentum gathered at Mestalla can carry them to the summit of the table.