Arbeloa: I Will Leave Real Madrid, and This Is My Response to Laporta

Álvaro Arbeloa appeared before the media in the press room in the city of Real Madrid, on the eve of the match against Athletic Bilbao in the 38th and final round of the Spanish League, which will be held at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The coach said in his speech: "I want us to play a great match, and bid farewell to the fans with a victory and a great performance. Playing the last match on our home ground is special and different, and the most important thing on such a day is to make the fans happy."

He added: "Dani Carvajal is a symbol of what a Real Madrid player should be. Being a homegrown player from the academy and laying the foundation for the city of Real Madrid makes him a special and unique player. It will be a very beautiful day for all of us to give him a fitting tribute and deserved applause. He will be in the starting lineup, and when he is substituted, I hope everyone stands in respect for him and keeps a beautiful memory of this day. I am sure he is proud of what he has contributed to Real Madrid, and we are lucky to have him."

Regarding his future: "Yes, I will leave, but I hope this is just a temporary farewell, because this club has always been my home. I have spent 20 years at Real Madrid in various positions. This will be my last match this season as a coach for Real Madrid, and perhaps not the last in my career with the club. I will try to enjoy it with the thought of winning, and from Monday I will think about what is best for my future. I have developed a lot during these four months and feel ready for new challenges."

He continued: "José Mourinho has a great technical staff and is surrounded by a distinguished team. If he comes here, there is no chance I will be part of his technical staff."

Regarding Joan Laporta's recent statements: "I don't give much importance to Laporta's words. We have always been clear in everything we say. I think he is referring to the Negreira case, and we are still waiting for a decision on a very serious matter, even though many referees associated with it are still officiating matches. These things do not seem normal to us, and it is our responsibility to continue reporting them."

He added about the presidential elections and Enrique Riquelme's candidacy: "There are some matters I cannot interfere with. I think it is great that they are running, as they understand the required standards. We will listen to them and see what ideas they can present."

Regarding his time with the team: "I know the state of the team when I joined it, and the challenges I faced. If I had started from scratch, the situation would have been different. But this is what I was placed in, and I tried to handle things as best as I could. Not in my own way, but in the best possible way. We have accomplished many things perfectly, and I am happy with what we have achieved."

He explained: "Most players have contributed to my development as a coach and as a person. I have good relationships with all of them, we talked a lot, agreed at times, and disagreed at others. But the good thing is that I went through their experiences and understood their circumstances. Their perspective often differs from the coach's perspective. It is easier for me to put myself in their place than for them to put themselves in mine."

Regarding Vinicius's absence from training yesterday: "Vinicius was given permission by the club for a personal matter, and we do not know if he will be able to play tomorrow."

He concluded about his relationship with the players: "I am extremely grateful to them for what we went through. I understand that with 25 players, the relationship cannot be perfect. We had differences, and that is natural. We resolved them in the best possible way, showed each other respect, and the opportunity came at the right time. For me, the most important thing is how to handle matters and what happens. I have dealt with it in the best possible way, with Real Madrid's interests in mind. I have thought about Real Madrid more than myself in the past few months, but I did what is best for the club. In another club, the situation would have been different, but this is what I had to do. There is no room for regret."