During his playing career, Atlético de Madrid was the club the defender faced the most times.
This Sunday brings up another ELDERBI DE MADRID, and it’ll be an extra special game for the current coach of Real Madrid, Álvaro Arbeloa, as he takes on Atlético de Madrid for the first time as coach of the first team. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
There have been two meetings between these historic foes already this season, but both were overseen by his predecessor Xabi Alonso. Atleti thrashed Los Blancos 5-2 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in the first LALIGA EA SPORTS meeting of the campaign, back in September. Then, Real Madrid earned some revenge with a 2-1 victory in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, although the team’s defeat in the final against FC Barcelona brought about the Basque tactician’s sacking.
Now, Arbeloa will hope to lead Real Madrid to their first league victory in this fixture since 2022. Not since the sixth matchday of the 2022/23 season have Los Blancos won a league derby against Los Colchoneros, with the league record since then standing at two Atlético de Madrid victories and four draws.
The club Arbeloa faced the most in his playing career
During his own playing career, Arbeloa faced off against Atlético de Madrid 21 times, more than he did against any other club, with the 19 appearances against FC Barcelona coming in second place. The Spaniard enjoyed a great record against Los Rojiblancos, winning 12 times, drawing five and losing just four.
As an academy graduate, ELDERBI DE MADRID was always a match he approached with passion, and the defender picked up 11 yellow cards against Atleti, also a record in his career. He also scored one goal against them, in a 3-2 win at the Bernabéu. Curiously enough, that goal was assisted by Xabi Alonso.
Not all of Arbeloa’s matches against Atlético de Madrid were derbies, as two of the appearances against Los Rojiblancos came when Arbeloa was at Liverpool. In fact, both of those meetings ended as draws, making his record in Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid games even more impressive, with a win percentage of 63 percent.
Given how long Diego Simeone has been in charge on the red and white side of Spain’s capital, the Argentinian has actually coached in 12 ELDERBI DE MADRID matches in which Arbeloa was playing, including all four of the defender’s losses in the fixture.
Arbeloa’s experience in youth derbies
Although Simeone has plenty more experience of ELDERBI DE MADRID, Arbeloa did get a taste for the passion this rivalry can cause during his time as a youth team coach in the Real Madrid academy. He famously clashed with Fernando Torres on the sidelines of a derby when both were coaching their respective clubs’ juvenil sides, with Arbeloa not hesitating one bit to challenge his former Liverpool and Spain teammate.
With the LALIGA EA SPORTS title race so tight and with Arbeloa looking to make a good impression in his first derby match with Real Madrid, you can bet that the 43-year-old will put all of his energy and heart into this Sunday’s game, even from the sidelines.
