Ex-Man City foe Arbeloa claims Real Madrid are on par with the Citizens, even in Mbappe's absence

Real Madrid's French forward Kylian Mbappe, donning the number 10 jersey, was seen reacting during the UEFA Champions League league phase day 8 football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on January 28, 2026.

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Coach Alvaro Arbeloa stated on Tuesday that his team should not feel inferior to their Champions League opponents, Manchester City, despite the absence of injured striker Kylian Mbappe, who is currently nursing a knee sprain.

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Mbappe did not participate in training ahead of the last 16 first leg due to his injury and will not be able to face Pep Guardiola's side at the Santiago Bernabeu, although Arbeloa noted that the player's condition is improving.

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Arbeloa emphasized that Real Madrid, with their record 15 European titles, should exude confidence, saying "We are Real Madrid and I think that we never feel lesser than anyone else," and "it doesn't matter the circumstance, it doesn't matter who is in front of us, we are Real Madrid and we should not feel inferior to anyone."

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Looking ahead to the upcoming match, Arbeloa expressed optimism, stating "Tomorrow we have an opponent we know well, the identity of the club, coach, players, what Manchester City is… but we'll head into it full of hope."

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Mbappe underwent tests and treatment for his knee sprain in France the previous week, with Arbeloa reporting that the player's condition has shown significant improvement, saying "He's a lot better, as I've said a lot over the last few weeks it's something that we have to look at day by day."

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Arbeloa provided a positive update on Mbappe's recovery, stating "All this week has been very positive, he's come back feeling good and each day he's doing better, so I hope he's back soon."

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In Mbappe's absence, Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior will lead the attack for Real Madrid, with Arbeloa saying "He's taking a lot of responsibility… we need the best of him if we're going to knock out Manchester City."

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Arbeloa, who took over as coach in January, described his first two months in the job as a "big learning experience" and expressed wariness of his opposing coach, Pep Guardiola, saying "He's always good at having a surprise prepared, he's a coach who in these kind of games has something different ready."

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Guardiola, however, downplayed the idea of having any surprises in store, saying "It's the first time we play against Alvaro, honestly, no surprises," and adding "Of course there are some adjustments we have to do for the quality they have."

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Guardiola, a three-time Champions League winner, urged his team to remain true to themselves at the Bernabeu, advising them not to be intimidated by the spotlight or Madrid's rich history, saying "From my experience, arriving in finals of the Champions League, or semi-finals, if you are not who you are, it is more difficult."

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Guardiola emphasized the importance of being authentic, stating "You can be lucky in this competition, it's not 38 games like in the Premier League or La Liga… sometimes you deserve to go through and it doesn't happen, sometimes you play really badly and go through."

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He continued, "I want to deserve to be in the next round and the only way you can deserve to be in the next round is being who you are — that is the only chance."

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Guardiola advised his players to focus on the task at hand, rather than worrying about the potential consequences of elimination, saying "We try to face the opponent and don't look much at the consequences," and adding "If we're out, we're out, congratulate Madrid… sometimes it's not possible because the opponent is better, but at least try it, just try it."