Madrid players aren't undercooked says Arbeloa
Alvaro Arbeloa has defended the decision to give his Real Madrid players two additional rest days in the lead-up to Sunday's visit to Valencia.
Arbeloa has endured a mixed start to his reign at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with Madrid winning three straight games in LaLiga but suffering embarrassing results in other competitions.
They were dumped out of the Copa del Rey by second-tier Albacete and conceded a stoppage-time goal to goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin during a dramatic Champions League defeat to Benfica, which cost them automatic qualification for the round of 16.
Arbeloa's approach to training was questioned by the Spanish media this week, with Madrid's players pictured wearing hypoxia masks, which simulate the effects of high altitudes, during drills, while they were also given back-to-back days off.
Addressing that subject at his pre-match press conference, Arbeloa said: "I see it as a way of preparing the players in the best way to face the week. The physical aspect plays a very important role.
"Since I took charge of the team until the day of the Rayo Vallecano match, 20 days have passed, and the players had two days off. I will continue to manage it in the best way possible."
Madrid are four points behind leaders Barcelona with a game in hand, following the Blaugrana's 3-0 success over Mallorca on Saturday, but Arbeloa says his team have several more gears to go through.
He added: "Great teams need to do many things well to win. We need to be able to execute many things simultaneously, have automatisms, and think the same way.
"That is only achieved through hard work and hours of dedication. The attitudes all remain as good as ever. We're still far from our peak."
Madrid won November's reverse fixture against Valencia – who are 16th and just one point clear of the relegation zone – 4-0, when Xabi Alonso was still Los Blancos' head coach.
Asked about the main differences between Arbeloa's team and Alonso's side, Valencia boss Carlos Corberan said: "One can always see nuances between different coaches.
"Madrid always has an essence that is verticality, pressure and being dangerous in open spaces. That is part of Madrid's identity. Then each player and coach can give it nuances.
"With Arbeloa, although he has only been there for a few weeks, you see nuances in his defensive structure, which has a different organisation in his own half. Xabi was looking for more high pressure. For me that is the main difference."
