Madrid, April 20 (IANS) Alvaro Arbeloa, head coach of Spanish football giant Real Madrid, has set a clear target for the remainder of the season, saying his team must win their last seven matches in La Liga. Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s La Liga clash against Deportivo Alaves, Arbeloa said, “We have to win the last seven matches.”

The game will be Real Madrid’s first since their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich. With the team trailing FC Barcelona by nine points in La Liga, focus has shifted to both Arbeloa’s future and that of several players, including Fran Garcia, Eduardo Camavinga, and Brahim Diaz.

“At Real Madrid, losing isn’t acceptable… because we know the demands of this club and we always have to look to the future to win,” Arbeloa said when asked about his position at the club as quoted by Xinhua.

On his future, he added, “It’s a decision that’s not up to me. I’m not worried about my future at all. I’m worried about these seven matches, and especially tomorrow.”

Arbeloa said that whether he stays or leaves is a club decision, but stressed that he remains in regular contact with the management.

“I’m in direct communication with the club every week, and I have a great relationship with them,” he said.

“The only future I’m concerned about is tomorrow,” he continued, adding that the final seven games of the season were “more important matches than they might seem,” ahead of the summer.

The coach also reflected on the past two seasons, where Real Madrid failed to win the Copa del Rey, La Liga, or the Champions League, admitting there is “certainly room for improvement in La Liga.”

“I think we’ve performed better in the big matches these past few months than against less established opponents,” he said, referring to the recent 1-1 draw with Girona FC before the loss in Munich.

“We’ve experienced situations like the Girona game, which makes it easier for Real Madrid to win the Champions League than a La Liga title,” he explained.

–IANS

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