Alvaro Arbeloa wants a sharp defense against Deportivo La Coruna
Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa has said that his team will need to put in a solid defensive performance when they face Deportivo La Coruna at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho's team is fourth in La Liga, with 11 points in five games. Meanwhile, Deportivo is in 19th place, having managed three draws so far.
But despite Deportivo's lacking form, and Real going from strength to strength, Arbeloa has said that his team cannot afford any defensive lapses in the game.
"We shouldn’t let them score if we want to win the game, so we must have a solid defence...We find defending a very important aspect in our game and lately we are doing a good job."
Real has conceded only one goal in seven competitive fixtures this season, during which Arbeloa has made three league appearances as full-back.
Must convert scoring opportunities
While the team's defence has proven sturdy, Mourinho's men have failed to capitalize on an abundance of scoring opportunities. Aside from their 3–0 victory over RCD Espanyol, Real has scored only three goals in La Liga this season.
"A game can never be predicted. We want to win against Deportivo and hopefully we will have a bit more luck scoring goals than in recent matches."
Arbeloa, who left Real for Deportivo in 2006 to spend one season with the club, said he will enjoy facing his old teammates on the field.
"It is always nice to play against a team you have previously played for. I didn’t play there for a long time, but it was a great experience and I still have some friends at Deportivo."
The Spaniard returned to Real from Liverpool in the summer of 2009, and has since made 33 league appearances for the team.
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