Álvaro Arbeloa: Mbappé’s fitness, Simeone views and Clásico prep | OneFootball

The coach of Los Blancos looked ahead to the derby against Julián Álvarez and Diego Simeone’s Colchonero and said he’s willing to build a monument to Antonio Rüdiger in his garden.

Álvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid’s head coach, confirmed that Frenchman Kylian Mbappé will play tomorrow in the clásico against Atlético de Madrid and praised the German defender Antonio Rüdiger: “I’m willing to build a statue of him in my garden.”

Arbeloa highlighted the German’s level, who will finish his contract with Los Blancos in June, in the tie against Manchester City: “I have a lot of respect for the club and the players; both parties have to come to an understanding. From day one, he has made himself available to the coaching staff. He told me back in March that when the tough times came, he’d be ready, and here he is. His treatment in London, with Niko, has been a stroke of luck. And Madrid fans should be aware of how lucky we are to have him.”

On the other hand, he revealed that Mbappé is 100% ready to play against Diego Simeone’s side: “In Manchester he showed he’s in great shape and his feelings… that’s the most important thing. Maximum confidence and guarantees, and we’re thrilled to have him back. He’s available and tomorrow he will definitely play.”

Finally, he explained that it was his decision to take off Thibaut Courtois in the second half against the Citizens: “There are always risks every time I put a player on the pitch. Very few players go out there at 100%, without any discomfort. I also have maximum confidence in Lunin. He’s a great goalkeeper and he’s going to prove it. Here, the best in history gets injured and we have another one. We’re not setting any deadlines.”

Earlier, Simeone had been blunt: “It’s a match that’s always played on emotion. We’ll try to take things to a place where we can do damage. They’re working very well and you can tell there’s a similar identity to what the coach demands. The results speak for themselves.”

Both teams from the Spanish capital are in the Champions League quarterfinals: Arbeloa’s side will face Bayern Munich, while Cholo’s team will play Barcelona. In addition, Los Merengues, who will be at home, have 66 points and are second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona and nine ahead of their city rivals, who are in fourth place.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.