Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said the team's Champions League fightback against Bayern Munich begins with Friday's LaLiga game with Girona, insisting that "Wednesday's game starts tomorrow."
Madrid were beaten 2-1 by Bayern in their quarter final first leg at the Bernabéu, but before they can focus on next week's return leg in Munich, they host Girona in LaLiga, with Madrid already seven points behind leaders Barcelona in the league table.
However, Arbeloa -- speaking in a news conference on Thursday -- said there'd been no suggestion of resting players against Girona, and prioritising the Champions League tie at the Allianz Arena.
"We won't be trying anything out," Arbeloa said. "Since the referee blew the final whistle [against Bayern] we've wanted to go to the Allianz and show what we're capable of. Real Madrid made its history based on overcoming big challenges like we'll have on Wednesday, but first we have tomorrow's game. I say it to the players a lot: Wednesday's game starts tomorrow."
Arbeloa confirmed that key players Jude Bellingham and Éder Militão, who were both introduced as second-half substitutes against Bayern as they continue their return to fill fitness post-injury, will start against Girona, who are 12th in LaLiga.
Álvaro Arbeloa is confident his side can turn things around at the Allianz Arena. Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images "Militao and Jude will start, and with Ferland [Mendy], he could get some minutes for sure," Arbeloa said.
Forward Vinícius Júnior has been in superb form in recent weeks, after an indifferent first half of the season, but was still subjected to whistles from some frustrated home fans at the Bernabéu during the Bayern game.
"You already know what I think of Vinícius, what he means for me as coach, and as a Madrid fan," Arbeloa said, defending the player. "For me, I'd love to play every game at the Bernabéu. It's a part of the demands of this fanbase, it's something normal. Other coaches might find it strange, but this is Real Madrid."
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Arbeloa was asked to clarify his comments on Kylian Mbappé after the Bayern first leg, when he said he wanted to see "an Mbappé who wants to be Mbappé every day" -- which some had interpreted as a criticism of the star forward's consistency.
"It's not just Mbappé," Arbeloa said. "I want players who want to be Real Madrid players every day... Everyday you can't play a Champions League quarterfinal. That's when it's about being demanding of yourself, and wanting to be your best version every day, that's what we need."