Under-fire Arbeloa insists Real Madrid will 'keep fighting' in LaLiga title race

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/celta-vigo-8pvUZFhf/real-madrid-W8mj7MDD/?mid=xd22wQM8"]Los Blancos visit Celta Vigo on Friday[/a], hoping to move back within one point of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] ahead of the reigning champions' match at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-madrid/W8mj7MDD/"]Madrid[/a] lost their lead at the top of the table with a defeat at Osasuna a fortnight ago, before being humbled at home by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/getafe/dboeiWOt/"]Getafe[/a] last weekend to increase the scrutiny on Arbeloa.[/p][p][b]"We're four points behind, not 18. This is Real Madrid. As long as we can mathematically fight, we will, and if there ever comes a time when we can no longer fight, we will still keep fighting,"[/b] said Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso as coach in January.[/p][p]"In the dressing room, we're aware that there's still a lot of the season left.[/p][p][b]"We've had two consecutive league defeats. Of course, at a club like Real Madrid, defeat is always difficult to handle because of the expectations and the pressure, but right now the only thing we're thinking about is tomorrow's match."[/b][/p][image alt="Real Madrid in the LaLiga standings" id="a0871206-3873-4b75-9491-55acde8caf77" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c66fccf0-b673-441b-8149-69bf034d569b" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b]Madrid have been hit badly by injuries in recent weeks.[/b][/p][p]Brazilian winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodrygo/zPUyR5Up/"]Rodrygo[/a] joined [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bellingham-jude/QNvlPm7s/"]Jude Bellingham[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eder-militao/zX2Rm9YG/"]Eder Militao[/a] on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury against Getafe, which will likely see him miss the World Cup in the summer.[/p][p]Centre-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huijsen-dean/2V3qUZAd/"]Dean Huijsen[/a] will also sit out the game at Celta through suspension.[/p][p][b]"When you're winning, and everyone is playing well, it's easy to wear this shirt," [/b]added Arbeloa, who insisted that he would not "make excuses" due to the injuries.[/p][p][b]"We need to show our true potential now. It's in moments like these that you see if we're worthy of wearing this shirt and this badge."[/b][/p][embed guid="9b77a64c-0a0c-4877-84d9-2d2075741e29" url="https://x.com/realmadriden/status/2029195162489065748" social-type="twitter" /][p]Real Madrid host [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]Manchester City[/a] in their Champions League last-16 [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/real-madrid-W8mj7MDD/?mid=fP5Co3V6"]first leg next Wednesday[/a].[/p][p]Mbappe has travelled to Paris for treatment on his knee injury, and Bellingham is in London, with both hoping to recover in time to face City.[/p][p]Arbeloa said that any decisions about the players' fitness would be taken "by the medical services of Real Madrid."[/p]