Arbeloa 'lucky' to have 'born leader' Vinicius at Madrid

Alvaro Arbeloa says he is "very lucky" to have a "born leader" in Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, after his brace helped them to victory over Espanyol.

Vinicius struck twice in the second half at RCDE Stadium to clinch a 2-0 win for Madrid, which delayed Barcelona's title celebrations until at least next week.

The Brazilian was at the heart of Madrid's display, having seen an acrobatic volley crash against the post in the eighth minute before eventually getting his two goals.

Only Harry Kane (24) has scored more goals than Vinicius (16) in 2026 across all competitions among all players of the top five European leagues.

Vinicius led the way for shots (three), shots on target (two), touches in the opposition box (11) and chances created (three) among Madrid players on Sunday.

And Arbeloa was full of praise for the 25-year-old's superb display.

"He played a great game again, scoring two great goals, being the leader in the offensive part of the team, being a total threat every time he takes the ball, very aggressive, very intelligent, very brave, a constant," Arbeloa said of Vinicius.

"I reserved a little for him because I didn't want to gamble that he wouldn't be in the Clasico, and that's why he made the change.

"He has done a great job helping us at the back as well, which is something I always thank him for. A fantastic player, a born leader, a teammate that everyone loves, a great person. I'm very lucky."

Madrid had dropped points in five of their nine games prior to facing Espanyol, but their slim title hopes remain alive heading into El Clasico.

Barcelona can, however, claim the title if they avoid defeat against Madrid when the sides meet.

With another chance to delay their rivals' coronation coming up, Arbeloa urged Madrid to dig deep and keep showing their commitment.

"Talent alone is not enough," he added. "I like to see when the players understand that commitment is important and that Real Madrid's values are their own.

"We have not built Real Madrid with players who go out on the pitch dressed in tuxedos, but with players who end up with shirts full of sweat, mud, effort, sacrifice, perseverance.

"When talent meets commitment and effort, that makes us the best team in the world."