Arbeloa urges Madrid to be 'best team in the world' to beat Bayern

Alvaro Arbeloa emphasised the importance of collectively "being the best team in the world" as Real Madrid prepare to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Madrid are record 15-time winners of the Champions League, and are looking to regain the trophy this season, having endured a frustrating hunt for silverware in recent months.

Los Blancos last lifted a trophy in December 2024, earning the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, with Arbeloa determined to end their wait.

They face a familiar foe in the first leg of Champions League last eight on Wednesday, with Madrid v Bayern the most-played fixture in major European history (28 meetings).

Arbeloa was quick to highlight the quality of his players, but noted that a united front was going to be the key to getting through the quarter-final.

"To win in football, you have to get a lot of things right in every phase of the game," he said.

"To be a great team, you have to be very well-drilled and have that collective mindset. Perhaps that's what I'm emphasising most to the players.

"We have the best players, but we must also be the best team in the world. We have to put our talent at the service of the team.

"A Madrid side that has always stood up to big rivals. Bayern are having an exceptional season. We know just how much they'll push us on the pitch.

"Our history with Bayern is always special. The Bernabeu is set for another great Champions League night."

Madrid have won all four of their Champions League knockout-stage games this season.

Arbeloa could also become only the third manager to win his first five knockout matches in the competition, after Hansi Flick (five in 2019-20 with Bayern) and Luis Enrique (five in 2014-15 with Barcelona).

Madrid are not the favourites in the first leg, though, with Bayern winning 42.7% of the Opta supercomputer's pre-match simulations to Madrid's 33.2%.

They also come into this game on the back of a defeat, however, going down 2-1 to Mallorca on Saturday after Vedat Muriqi's stoppage-time winner.

"These are different matches and contexts," Arbeloa added when asked how they will bounce back.

"The players know exactly what lies ahead. I don't need to warn them about anything. It's a quarter-final against a team we have a long history with, and with the Bernabeu behind us. I think we're all aware of that."

Kylian Mbappe has averaged a goal every 56 minutes for Madrid in the Champions League this season (13 goals in nine games).

Of players with 10+ goals in a single edition, only Erling Haaland in 2019-20 has ever done so while maintaining a better minutes per goal ratio (55).

He recently returned from injury to boost Madrid for the run-in, and Arbeloa is thrilled to have him back as an option.

"It's clear that Mbappe has different qualities to Brahim [Diaz], so we'll have to play in a different way," he said of the Frenchman.

"But I'm delighted to have such outstanding players at our disposal. Mbappe came here to play this sort of match.

"The only thing that matters to me is what I think, and it's an extraordinary stroke of luck to have a player like Mbappe in the team. I put myself in the shoes of the defenders who have to face Madrid."