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Álvaro Arbeloa has stated that winning the Champions League is more achievable for Real Madrid than claiming La Liga, while also stoking speculation about a refereeing bias against Los Blancos.
With 31 matches played this season, Real Madrid occupy second place in the La Liga standings, trailing leaders Barcelona by nine points. Although the title hasn't been officially decided, the likelihood of Arbeloa's Madrid escaping a rare trophyless campaign now hinges on the possibility of a Barça collapse.
Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso in January, has failed to close the gap on the league frontrunners. A disappointing 2–1 road loss to Mallorca was followed by a 1–1 draw at home against Girona during what could prove to be a pivotal April for Madrid. On top of that, their Champions League exit at the quarterfinal stage against Bayern Munich may have effectively determined Arbeloa's own future ahead of an anticipated summer overhaul at the Bernabéu.
The irony for Real Madrid is that domestic form has rarely hindered their European campaigns, with the club having claimed nearly as many European titles (six) over the past two decades as league championships (seven). Barcelona have lifted 11 league titles in the same period, while Madrid haven't won consecutive La Liga titles since 2008.
Arbeloa Lays Blame on Referees Again
Speaking in the build-up to Tuesday's fixture against Deportivo Alavés, Arbeloa was questioned about why Madrid have found it difficult to reproduce their best performances in the league.
He said: "In terms of our performances, we definitely have areas to improve upon in La Liga over the past few years. I think we've shown up better in the high-profile matches these past few months than against lower-ranked sides.
"If we're looking at the last three months specifically, there's a lot of room to grow. But we've also faced situations like the Girona match, which makes it easier for Real Madrid to win a Champions League than a La Liga title."
Arbeloa was alluding to the draw against Girona, in which Kylian Mbappé was brought down inside the penalty area in the 88th minute after being struck in the face by defender Vitor Reis. Referee Javier Alberola Rojas allowed play to continue, and there was no VAR review of the incident, which left Mbappé needing three stitches above his eye.
Following the match, Arbeloa said: "For me, that's a penalty anywhere in the world, and it's just another one. Another week. That's the reality ... We've had so many problems with referees. The same story keeps repeating itself."
To make matters worse for Mbappé and Madrid, Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) member Marta Frías later told Tiempo de Revisión that it was a "reckless" challenge, which "is subject to being penalized as a penalty."
Why Have Real Madrid Struggled in La Liga Compared to Europe?
While Arbeloa may suggest there is a deliberate agenda working against Real Madrid in La Liga, rival supporters will be quick to point to numerous occasions where Madrid appeared to benefit from favorable officiating decisions.
More plausibly than any conspiracy, Europe has always been Madrid's true focus, and the club's knack for rising to the occasion on big Champions League nights — regardless of current form — has cultivated an almost instinctive sense of belonging in the competition, reinvigorated since winning La Décima in 2014.
In the league this season, by contrast, Madrid have struggled to summon that same intensity. After Barcelona stumbled with a loss to Girona in February, Madrid — distracted by their Champions League play-off against Benfica — responded with back-to-back defeats to Osasuna and Getafe. Similarly, a thrilling 3–2 derby victory over Atlético last month and the opportunity to build momentum was quickly undermined by the letdowns against Mallorca and Girona.
Taking a broader view, the seven Madrid league titles across 20 years have also come during what is arguably the most competitive era in La Liga history, featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid.