Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has identified Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior as two of his five untouchable players, insisting he wants the pair available for every match.
Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso last month at the Santiago Bernabeu, has already overseen a mixed start to his tenure. After a 3-2 Copa del Rey loss to Albacete in the Round of 16, Los Blancos enjoyed a series of La Liga victories, highlighted by a 6-1 Champions League home win against AS Monaco. That run ended with a 4-2 defeat at Benfica, which left Madrid ninth in the group and missing automatic qualification to the Round of 16.
Mbappe and Vinicius have featured in all four of Arbeloa’s games so far. The coach also regards midfielder Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois as indispensable to his plans.
“The more minutes they can be available to the team for me, the better,” Arbeloa told reporters, via France24 and GOAL. “These are players who can change a game at any moment. Some people who aren’t Madrid fans might not want them playing, but Madrid supporters want their top players ready every time.
“I believe these five are among the top ten in the world, and I completely trust them. It’s not just about my trust—their performances on the field prove it.”
Under Arbeloa, Real Madrid most recently beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 at home in La Liga and currently sit second in the table, just one point behind leaders Barcelona.
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