Real Madrid kicked off their Copa del Rey campaign last night with a dominant 3-1 win over Arandina. They dominated from the get-go and did not let their guard down for an instant, but were still made to work hard for the result.

The first half of the night ended goalless, for Arandina’s strong fortress at the back, repeatedly denied Los Blancos. The second half, however, was a story of its own.

Joselu, the scorer of the first goal on the night, spoke to the media after the game and highlighted that the game was won on the field and not on paper. Speaking about the difficulty of the clash, he said,

“We know the difficulty that these matches have. It’s not worth any kind of excuse, we are Madrid and we have to go out and win in any field. It is true that it cost a little more than usual, but we are happy for the victory and to move on to the next round.”

Elaborating on the pressure on his shoulders while taking the penalty before the hour mark, the Spaniard credited his ability to stay calm to his experience.

“Thank God I have thrown a lot of penalties in my life and the coach continues to give me the confidence to continue throwing them. You couldn’t do much more, the field was very soft and I was afraid that I would go a little outside, but with the one hundred percent confidence to put it in.”

There has been a lot of confusion in recent times over who Real Madrid’s primary penalty kick taker must be. When asked if tonight’s situation made him a favourite on the list, Joselu said,

“It depends on who we are in the field. Within the squad, there are many specialists and players with a lot of quality. It’s my turn, but I don’t think that’s the problem. From now on, everyone will surely enter.”

The veteran striker also had kind words for Arda Guler, who made his debut on the night, as shared the pre-game advice he told the youngster.

“Before I started, I told him to enjoy it a lot because he’s been out for a long time. It’s the first time he played with us and it’s not easy. He is a young boy with a lot of qualities that we are all taking care of very well. You have to make the most of it.”

Finally, Joselu spoke on what set Real Madrid above Arandina on the night, thus highlighting the subtle difference between top-tier and lower-ranked oppositions.

“These matches cost all the teams. We needed one hundred per cent concentration and in the second half, we would surely continue to have possession of the ball. They weren’t going to be able to stand the rhythm and in the end, the goals came.”

Alvaro Carillo, Real Madrid’s youth defender who started on the night, was the next player to face the media. Expressing his disbelief over having played such a key role in the first-team clash, he said,

“It’s a dream, I still can’t believe it. I’m very happy, it’s the best gift from Reyes I’ve ever had. I will never forget this day. I dreamed of this before I got here when I started playing soccer in Murcia.”

He went on to emphasise how it took him a while to calm his nerves and transport himself back into reality during his special moment and how it unfolded.

“I have always worked, I have struggled and I have tried to do my best. In the end, life rewards you in this way. I had a lot of nerves. I tried to take a nap and I couldn’t because of the nerves.”

“I have supported my family and the truth is that it has been an incredible day. Things have gone as I expected and I am very happy,” he added.

Finally, he was asked about how it felt to interact with the senior players and share the dressing room with some of football’s biggest names.

“They take it naturally. They say that you are calm and relaxed and that you do it like with your team. They make you feel very comfortable and safe on the field. I’m going to frame this T-shirt. I’ll put her at home. It’s a t-shirt that I’m going to remember forever,” he said.

The third, and final player to face the press was Vinicius Tobias. The young right-back began by expressing his happiness over playing for the senior setup and what he took away from the opportunity.

“I am very happy and happy to debut with the best team in the world. I have to keep working and struggling to enjoy more moments. You had to be confident playing against this team, which is not easy.”

“For me and everyone, Madrid is the largest team in the world. I am very happy to be at Real Madrid. Those who have more experience tell young people to have peace of mind and enjoy. We are all together, we are Real Madrid players,” he added, stressing his loyalty towards the crest.

Finally, he urged his teammates to keep pushing for more and not settle for a hectic schedule ahead.

“Victory is the most important thing and what makes us most happy. But we have to keep working because we have more games.”

Source: Real Madrid website