New Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa says the shock Copa del Rey last-16 defeat to second-division Albacete must serve as a turning point for his team.
Arbeloa, who took charge on Monday following Xabi Alonso’s departure after Madrid’s Spanish Super Cup final loss to Barcelona, suffered a disappointing start as coach with the cup exit.
“I’m not afraid of failure,” Arbeloa told reporters. “Some may want to define this as a failure, but I see it as part of the journey towards success. They are not opposites.”
The former Madrid and Liverpool defender, promoted from his role with the reserve team, said setbacks have shaped his career both as a player and now as a coach.
“I’ve experienced painful cup eliminations before — even worse than this one,” he said. “What matters is how we respond. This defeat has to make all of us better.”
Arbeloa added that he is eager to return to the training ground at Valdebebas and refocus the squad ahead of their next challenge.
Real Madrid host Levante at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, as they look to close the four-point gap on Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
