I spent time with the former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid`s training ground for an interview broadcast on Sky Sports` Revista de la Liga the other day. Last summer the 27 year old Spanish international returned to the club where he began his professional career amidst a time of huge transition at the Bernabeu as returning president Florentino Perez ushered in a new generation of Galacticos. Arbeloa and I took time out at Valdebebas to discuss how those stars - Ronaldo, Benzema, Kaka, Xabi Alonso - are settling in; how life at Real Madrid compares with living in Liverpool....and of course: just how do you go about beating Barcelona?
Guillem Balague: You`ve been here since you were very young: how many years have you been at Real Madrid now?
Alvaro Arbeloa: I arrived here at 18 years of age and stayed for five years before moving on.
Guillem: What kind of education does a youngster get here?
Arbeloa: Well, above all they teach you how this is a Gentlemanly club; you get a very good education about life both on and off the pitch. And as we were saying, most importantly, you learn about the demands and expectations that have defined this club.
Guillem: You obviously had a master-plan: you went on to Deportivo, then played for Liverpool, before returning to Real Madrid; was that the plan?
Arbeloa: I don`t know, but it the truth is it has been a bit of a detour, I`ve gone full circle to end up where I started; but I`m very happy with how things have gone, I`ve had some wonderful experiences, but now I`m back here – I believe – as a better player and a better person. And I`m enjoying it now.
Guillem: And it`s not as cold as Liverpool...
Arbeloa: No, not quite as cold as Liverpool. It doesn`t rain as much for sure! But it can still get a bit chilly.
Guillem: Describe how you felt in the mornings ahead of training at Melwood (Liverpool) and coming into Valdebebas; what are the different feelings?
Arbeloa: Well the first thing is I need to wrap up a bit less here! And it`s true that, with the temperature being that bit warmer here, the climate makes training a bit more agreeable. But the differences are actually very few: when you turn up for training here you are aware that you are at a club, just like Liverpool, where expectations are very high. So you wake up every morning knowing that you are going to have to give it your all.
Guillem: How different is the training; because the press only gets to see the first 15 minutes, and it all seems very light at the beginning obviously...
Arbeloa: Well the differences are down to the different types of coaches and follow the way each of them sees the game...
Guillem: There`s more work with the ball here and less physical work than in England?
Arbeloa: Here, maybe the ball-work does dominate more than in England, where teams are very well prepared physically. But then with Rafa we did a lot of tactical work. While here, we enjoy ourselves with the ball a bit more.
Guillem: I`ve seen Cristiano joking around with everybody and he seems to have settled in very, very well...
Arbeloa: Well the truth is that, from his first day here, Cristiano has earned the respect of everyone in the team for his work ethic and mentality; above all because he is a person who creates a really good atmosphere and we`ve all got a really great vibe with him - and he jokes around a fair bit.
Guillem: He`s very demanding: with himself above all, but also with the team...
Arbeloa: He is a player with a tremendous winning mentality: with high expectations. Everyone gives him stick if he is on the losing side in a training game because he hates losing, he gets really angry and walks around with a really long face. But that mentality spreads through the team, and fires us all on.
Guillem: When something goes wrong in a game – a stray pass, a move breaks down – he starts waving his arms about. How do you react to that?
Arbeloa: I think people are getting to know him now and understand that these things just come out of him, he`s not doing it to be critical of a team mate or so that people see him doing it. We all know it`s because he`s spontaneously letting out what`s inside him and it`s a way of expressing his emotions; his anger on the spur of the moment. We don`t take it badly, nothing like that.
Guillem: Although people in England say that there was much more self control under Alex Ferguson, and that now he is a Wild Horse – which can be good because he scores lots of goals - but he also gets into trouble...
Arbeloa: Yes, well it`s true he has had a couple of incidents on the pitch that have earned him some red cards; but I think he is maturing by the day, he`s reaching an age where you learn a bit more self control – and maybe he`d not going to need the Ferguson touch.
Guillem: We`ve seen you going up and down both the right and left wing; you seem to be finishing games very strongly physically – happy with the tempo of the Spanish league. Is that because the Premier League has made you stronger?
Arbeloa: Yes, for sure, the rhythm here is slower, there are longer pauses, and physically you can tell the difference. I`m much better physically prepared from my time in England and that is one of the advantages I`ve brought with me from playing over there.
Guillem: Why did you go? You had another year on your contract...
Arbeloa: The truth is this was a very important opportunity for me; there are trains that come along that you just cannot let pass you by. I was very satisfied and happy in Liverpool, I`m tremendously grateful to the club, the people and to Rafa for the opportunity they gave me. But the opportunity to return to Spain, home, to be a part of this project that involved signing such great players – it was a train I couldn`t possibly miss.
Guillem: Kaka – we haven`t seen the best of him yet, but he seems very involved in training and he seems very settled. What is there left for him to do to improve and for us to see the Kaka that we know?
Arbeloa: Well, I don`t know – maybe it`s just a matter of time: of adaptation to the Spanish league, to the style of play, to the system we are playing. It`s true we haven`t seen a continuation of the Kaka from Milan, but you can see from the small details in training that he continues to be a great player, and I`m certain that, given time, he is going to demonstrate that.
Guillem: Is it fair to say that Kaka was in a counterattacking team, where he had space in front of him – and he doesn`t get that in Spain...
Arbeloa: Yes, that could be one of the reasons. It`s evident that he flourishes if you give him space; we have seen it in games – like in Barcelona – and other games where there is space high up the pitch that this is when he is at his best, with space in front of him, and on the counter attack.
Guillem: Do you get the chance to watch Barcelona much?
Arbeloa: Well, let`s see. I think Barcelona are very strong and I think that if we want to beat them, we are going to have to play the perfect game of football...
http://www.guillembalague.com/interview_desp.php?titulo=Alvaro+Arbeloa+Interview&id=79
Guillem Balague: You`ve been here since you were very young: how many years have you been at Real Madrid now?
Alvaro Arbeloa: I arrived here at 18 years of age and stayed for five years before moving on.
Guillem: What kind of education does a youngster get here?
Arbeloa: Well, above all they teach you how this is a Gentlemanly club; you get a very good education about life both on and off the pitch. And as we were saying, most importantly, you learn about the demands and expectations that have defined this club.
Guillem: You obviously had a master-plan: you went on to Deportivo, then played for Liverpool, before returning to Real Madrid; was that the plan?
Arbeloa: I don`t know, but it the truth is it has been a bit of a detour, I`ve gone full circle to end up where I started; but I`m very happy with how things have gone, I`ve had some wonderful experiences, but now I`m back here – I believe – as a better player and a better person. And I`m enjoying it now.
Guillem: And it`s not as cold as Liverpool...
Arbeloa: No, not quite as cold as Liverpool. It doesn`t rain as much for sure! But it can still get a bit chilly.
Guillem: Describe how you felt in the mornings ahead of training at Melwood (Liverpool) and coming into Valdebebas; what are the different feelings?
Arbeloa: Well the first thing is I need to wrap up a bit less here! And it`s true that, with the temperature being that bit warmer here, the climate makes training a bit more agreeable. But the differences are actually very few: when you turn up for training here you are aware that you are at a club, just like Liverpool, where expectations are very high. So you wake up every morning knowing that you are going to have to give it your all.
Guillem: How different is the training; because the press only gets to see the first 15 minutes, and it all seems very light at the beginning obviously...
Arbeloa: Well the differences are down to the different types of coaches and follow the way each of them sees the game...
Guillem: There`s more work with the ball here and less physical work than in England?
Arbeloa: Here, maybe the ball-work does dominate more than in England, where teams are very well prepared physically. But then with Rafa we did a lot of tactical work. While here, we enjoy ourselves with the ball a bit more.
Guillem: I`ve seen Cristiano joking around with everybody and he seems to have settled in very, very well...
Arbeloa: Well the truth is that, from his first day here, Cristiano has earned the respect of everyone in the team for his work ethic and mentality; above all because he is a person who creates a really good atmosphere and we`ve all got a really great vibe with him - and he jokes around a fair bit.
Guillem: He`s very demanding: with himself above all, but also with the team...
Arbeloa: He is a player with a tremendous winning mentality: with high expectations. Everyone gives him stick if he is on the losing side in a training game because he hates losing, he gets really angry and walks around with a really long face. But that mentality spreads through the team, and fires us all on.
Guillem: When something goes wrong in a game – a stray pass, a move breaks down – he starts waving his arms about. How do you react to that?
Arbeloa: I think people are getting to know him now and understand that these things just come out of him, he`s not doing it to be critical of a team mate or so that people see him doing it. We all know it`s because he`s spontaneously letting out what`s inside him and it`s a way of expressing his emotions; his anger on the spur of the moment. We don`t take it badly, nothing like that.
Guillem: Although people in England say that there was much more self control under Alex Ferguson, and that now he is a Wild Horse – which can be good because he scores lots of goals - but he also gets into trouble...
Arbeloa: Yes, well it`s true he has had a couple of incidents on the pitch that have earned him some red cards; but I think he is maturing by the day, he`s reaching an age where you learn a bit more self control – and maybe he`d not going to need the Ferguson touch.
Guillem: We`ve seen you going up and down both the right and left wing; you seem to be finishing games very strongly physically – happy with the tempo of the Spanish league. Is that because the Premier League has made you stronger?
Arbeloa: Yes, for sure, the rhythm here is slower, there are longer pauses, and physically you can tell the difference. I`m much better physically prepared from my time in England and that is one of the advantages I`ve brought with me from playing over there.
Guillem: Why did you go? You had another year on your contract...
Arbeloa: The truth is this was a very important opportunity for me; there are trains that come along that you just cannot let pass you by. I was very satisfied and happy in Liverpool, I`m tremendously grateful to the club, the people and to Rafa for the opportunity they gave me. But the opportunity to return to Spain, home, to be a part of this project that involved signing such great players – it was a train I couldn`t possibly miss.
Guillem: Kaka – we haven`t seen the best of him yet, but he seems very involved in training and he seems very settled. What is there left for him to do to improve and for us to see the Kaka that we know?
Arbeloa: Well, I don`t know – maybe it`s just a matter of time: of adaptation to the Spanish league, to the style of play, to the system we are playing. It`s true we haven`t seen a continuation of the Kaka from Milan, but you can see from the small details in training that he continues to be a great player, and I`m certain that, given time, he is going to demonstrate that.
Guillem: Is it fair to say that Kaka was in a counterattacking team, where he had space in front of him – and he doesn`t get that in Spain...
Arbeloa: Yes, that could be one of the reasons. It`s evident that he flourishes if you give him space; we have seen it in games – like in Barcelona – and other games where there is space high up the pitch that this is when he is at his best, with space in front of him, and on the counter attack.
Guillem: Do you get the chance to watch Barcelona much?
Arbeloa: Well, let`s see. I think Barcelona are very strong and I think that if we want to beat them, we are going to have to play the perfect game of football...
http://www.guillembalague.com/interview_desp.php?titulo=Alvaro+Arbeloa+Interview&id=79
