Álvaro Arbeloa addressed the media at Real Madrid City to preview the highly anticipated first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 between Real Madrid and Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola. The Spanish coach acknowledged the challenge that awaits his team at the Santiago Bernabéu but insisted that Real Madrid will approach the game with ambition. “It will be a difficult match, but also a beautiful one and highly anticipated by the fans. We will go out to win and we are very motivated. The Champions League is extremely important for all of us,” Arbeloa said.

One of the key topics of the press conference was the physical condition of Kylian Mbappé. According to Arbeloa, the French forward has shown encouraging progress in recovering from his knee issue. “He is much better. It’s something we are evaluating day by day. It has been a very positive week and he has returned with good sensations,” he explained.

Arbeloa also praised Guardiola’s tactical brilliance, warning that the City manager always has surprises prepared. “No matter how much you analyze his teams, he always has something different ready. You have to prepare for many possible variations when facing a coach like Guardiola,” he said.

However, the most striking moment of the press conference came when Arbeloa was asked about Joan Laporta and the Negreira case. The Madrid coach delivered a blunt response: “Yes, candidate Laporta… I believe he was the one who quadrupled the payments to Negreira. There isn’t much more to say.”

Arbeloa also highlighted the contribution of academy players and confirmed that Eduardo Camavinga has recovered after a difficult week and could be available for the crucial Champions League clash.

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