Real Madrid entered a new phase of its season with the return of Antonio Pintus to the forefront, benefiting from the technical change the team experienced with Álvaro Arbeloa taking over the coaching role and Xabi Alonso's departure. This step aligned with the management's desire, which viewed Pintus as a crucial element in restoring the team's physical balance during a critical period.

Following the loss to Albacete, Arbeloa did not hide his conviction about the importance of the role played by Pintus, affirming that the team "needs him." This statement reflected a shared vision between the coaching staff and the club's management. However, the pressure of matches in recent weeks prevented the implementation of clear ideas in the medium term, until the team finally got a rare period of calm this season.

In just 19 days, Real Madrid played six matches, with a greater focus on physical recovery rather than fieldwork. However, the situation will change over the next two weeks, as the team will have a period free from midweek matches, starting with two days of rest, followed by an intensive preparation phase under the supervision of Arbeloa and Pintus.

For the first time this season, Real Madrid will play only one match per week. After facing Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium, the team will not host Real Sociedad at the Santiago Bernabéu until six days later. This is an exceptional schedule that hasn't occurred since the start of the season, except during international breaks.

This time window provides Arbeloa with a valuable opportunity to work on his ideas, as the coach confirmed by saying: "In these weeks without interspersed matches, we will try to have the team work and move towards what we want." The coaching staff considers this period crucial for laying the initial foundations for the new playing style.

Arbeloa primarily focused on the mental aspect, with a speech close to the players and an effort to adapt the tactical system to their abilities. Meanwhile, Pintus's role was limited to avoiding overloads due to the high frequency of matches. However, the upcoming phase will see a clear shift towards developing the physical aspect and working on fine details.

After the match against Rayo Vallecano, Arbeloa emphasized the importance of "the small things," asserting that victory is not achieved through a single element, but rather through a set of details that must be executed correctly. These details were missing at various times, even though some positive results masked the shortcomings.

These "mini preparations" are due to Real Madrid's absence from the Copa del Rey competition at this stage, as the quarter-final and semi-final matches will take place on days when the team will be free for training only.

The upcoming weeks will be a critical phase in adapting to the new coach and pivotal in Pintus's work, whose return was warmly welcomed by the players. In this context, Arbeloa confirmed: "We have a great margin for physical development, and that's why Antonio is here to give us an extra boost."

Between periods where Real Madrid appeared strong and dominant, and others where they struggled physically and tactically, as happened in Lisbon, the coaching staff is focused on using this temporary calm to build a more prepared team for the near future. The club believes that the next phase is "silent work," led by Arbeloa and the experience of Pintus, hoping that the results will be reflected on the field in the coming weeks.