Big Derby Win for Arbeloa, Valverde Keeps Going

Álvaro Arbeloa still has the real tests ahead of him. Bayern in the Champions League, Barcelona away not long after. That’s where this run will really be judged. But for now, things are going his way. After already getting past Mourinho and Guardiola, he added Simeone to the list with a 3–2 win in the Madrid derby. It wasn’t one-sided, far from it. The game could have flipped either way at a couple of moments, but Real took it. And there’s more to it than just the result.

Valverde Is Playing Higher, and It Shows

The biggest change is Federico Valverde. He was always important, but now he’s clearly being used closer to goal. It’s not subtle anymore. He’s arriving in the box, taking shots, getting into situations he wasn’t really in before. You could see it again here. That run from his own half, where he just carried the ball forward and left Hancko behind, said a lot. It reminded people of Bale, and not by accident. That kind of confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere. He didn’t score from that move, hit the post, but it didn’t matter much. He still ended up with a goal later, and that’s now seven goals and three assists in just over a month. For him, that’s new territory.

Vinicius Feels More Involved Again

Vinicius also looks different. Earlier in the season, he wasn’t as sharp, and the game didn’t always go through him. Now it does more often. He moves inside more, doesn’t stay fixed on the wing, and it suits him. He’s still not perfect, but he’s much more present in games. The winning goal came at the right time, and for fans looking forward for the late stages of the Champions league, and for users of UEFA Champions league betting, this is a thing to consider. With Arbeloa, the numbers are already there, but more than that, he just looks more comfortable.

Mbappé Didn’t Start, and It Was Fine

Mbappé being on the bench was the big talking point before kickoff. He was fit, but Arbeloa left him out. In a derby, that’s not a small decision. But it didn’t turn into anything negative. Mbappé came on, did his part, and that was it. No drama. Same with Trent. Late to something, left out, Carvajal starts instead. Simple decision, no noise around it. For a coach without much experience, he’s handling those situations calmly.

Atletico Were Still There

Atletico didn’t disappear from this game. They had their moments, and probably enough to take something. Lookman looked sharp again, Molina scored an absolute banger, and for stretches they controlled things. Juliano Simeone also had a strong first half, especially with how he moved between positions. But the problem was always going to be moments. They couldn’t deal with Vinicius when it mattered, and that ended up deciding it.

Now Comes the Hard Part

Valverde’s red card late on might actually help in a strange way. He’ll miss a game, maybe two, and be fresher for Bayern. Bellingham is back as well, which gives Arbeloa another option, but also another problem. Because now it’s about fitting everything together. Valverde playing higher, Vinicius in form, Mbappé needing minutes, Bellingham returning. That balance is not simple. But if he gets it right, and the results keep coming, this won’t feel temporary anymore. It’ll start to look like something more permanent.