Arbeloa: "Coming to Mestalla is Like Visiting the Dentist, Mbappé on His Way to Reaching Cristiano's Level"

08 February 2026at22:38

Real Madrid coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, affirmed that facing Valencia at their home stadium is always difficult, despite his team's two-nil victory in a match counting for the 23rd round of the Spanish League.

Arbeloa said in a statement to the official channel of the Royal Club: "We always know that coming to Mestalla is like visiting the dentist. We were aware of how difficult the match would be, and that they needed the three points just like us."

He continued: "I think Carreras' goal showed his great talent in attack and his ability to score goals. I remember he scored a wonderful goal against Valencia in the first leg."

He then concluded his remarks by praising the French star: "We thought we would never see a player at Cristiano's level again, but Mbappé is on his way to doing that."

Q&A

What was Álvaro Arbeloa's reaction to Real Madrid's win against Valencia at Mestalla?

Arbeloa described facing Valencia at Mestalla as "like visiting the dentist," acknowledging the difficulty despite Real Madrid's 2-0 victory in the 23rd round of the Spanish League. He emphasized their awareness of the challenge.

What comparison did Álvaro Arbeloa make between Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo?

Arbeloa stated that while he once believed no player would reach Cristiano Ronaldo's level again, he now sees Kylian Mbappé "on his way to doing that," praising the French star's potential.