Álvaro Arbeloa called Federico Valverde “everything a Real Madrid player should be” after the midfielder scored a 94th-minute winner against Celta Vigo on Friday, to keep his team in the LaLiga title race.
Aurélien Tchouaméni put Madrid ahead in the 11th minute at Balaídos with a curling effort from the edge of the box, before forward Borja Iglesias levelled for the home side.
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Madrid looked set to drop points for the third league game in a row — after back-to-back defeats — before Valverde’s deflected strike from distance made it 2-1 to the visitors.
“Fede is everything a Real Madrid player should be,” Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV after the match. “He has the spirit of [club legend] Juanito. He has that quality which the great players in our history have had, and today he carried the team on his back.”
The victory closed the gap on league leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Club on Saturday, to just a point.
“There’s no better way to celebrate 124 years of the best club in the world,” Arbeloa said, referring to the club’s anniversary on Friday. “Real Madrid, fighting against everything and everyone. We have to celebrate it, for how the players fought.”
Arbeloa had come under pressure after a loss at Osasuna on Feb. 21 was followed by a shock 1-0 home defeat to Getafe on Monday, which saw more whistles from the Bernabéu crowd for the team.
“There’s a lot of league left, a lot of points,” Arbeloa said on Friday. “Every game will be a battle … Let’s hope [it’s the kind of win that wins you leagues]. It shows us the way.”
The coach praised the impact of youngsters Thiago Pitarch, César Palacios and Manuel Ángel, who all featured against Celta, with nine first-team players absent through injury and suspension.
“You asked me about [Pitarch] the other day, and I’ll repeat myself, we have to value what he’s done,” Arbeloa said. “It’s great news. It’s been a while since a player came through, since Gonzalo [García] and [Raúl] Asencio … He’s a Real Madrid player.”
Madrid now prepare to host Manchester City on Wednesday in their Champions League last 16 first leg.
