‘It makes you emotional’ – Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa on Jose Mourinho comments

Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has expressed his delight at the words of Benfica manager and former boss Jose Mourinho, whom Arbeloa considers a mentor both on and off the pitch. The pair will meet as rivals for the first time as managers on Wednesday night as Real Madrid take on Benfica.

Mourinho commented beforehand that Arbeloa ‘might not have been among the best players he had at Real Madrid, but maybe he was one of the best.’ Their relationship was one of the main topics of his pre-match press conference, as Real Madrid look to secure their Champions League top eight spot.

“Yes, yes, of course. I didn’t miss the mister’s press conference. I didn’t miss them when I was a player and we’d show them all in the dressing room… and I didn’t miss them today either. It was a tremendous honour to hear everything he said about me. I’m emotional and happy because he’s been much more than just a coach to me. Above all, on a personal level, he’s been very important throughout my entire career. Today, I also consider him a great friend. From here, I want to thank him for all his kind words. I’m really looking forward to seeing him tomorrow and giving him a big hug.”

‘Mourinho is a role model for me’ – Arbeloa

Arbeloa has been cast as a disciple of Mourinho as a manager, but during his first press conference, declared that he would not be trying to replicate Mourinho’s management. Earlier in his playing career, he had once commented that he ‘tried to be Mourinhista in everything I do’.

“A role model, of course. I said it on the first day: there will never be anyone like Jose. Anyone who tries to imitate him will fail. And I’ve understood that from day one. My success will be being myself. And obviously, within that ‘being Alvaro Arbeloa,’ there’s a significant part of his influence, as well as everything he represented. And I was able to learn from him on a communicative and tactical level. But anyway… here we are. Tomorrow we’ll face each other, and I know he’ll want to win because I know how competitive he is. But so will I. And the most important thing will be those 90 minutes.”

“I’m very grateful to all of [my managers], ever since I was a little boy. Caparroos, who gave me confidence and allowed me to make the leap to Liverpool. Then Benitez, who was key. I returned to Real Madrid and worked with some great coaches. I’ve been very lucky. That’s what football teaches you; there’s no single path to success. They were all good leaders with great ideas and concepts.”

Arbeloa on Mourinho relationship

Despite their apparently close relationship, Mourinho confirmed he had not been in touch with Arbeloa since he took over as Real Madrid manager.

“Obviously, we’ve stayed in touch. I won’t lie to you: I know who Mourinho is, I know what his phone must be like. You can understand why he changes his number so often. I’ve tried to ‘bother’ him as little as possible. But he’s one of those friends you can go a long time without speaking to, and then if you call him at 3:00 AM, I’m sure he’d answer. And he’d be there for anything he needed. That’s the kind of relationship I have with Jose. We’ve stayed in touch, but I’ve tried not to be too pushy.”

Mourinho also commented that while he could not give any advice to Arbeloa, he hoped that he was enjoying himself as Real Madrid manager. Arbeloa was asked if he felt comfortable for him.

“I feel a great responsibility. You can only do this here if you enjoy it. That’s what I’m doing, getting the most out of my players. I see it the same way in any area of ​​life; you have to enjoy it to the fullest, knowing the effort it takes.”

Los Blancos currently sit third in the Champions League table, knowing that even with a defeat, they stand a good chance of a bye to the Round of 16. A win or a draw would all but guarantee it, and they still stand a chance of being the second seeds, should Bayern Munich slip up against PSV Eindhoven.

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