Álvaro Arbeloa described Arda Güler’s remarkable long-range goal as a “work of art” after the young midfielder scored from inside his own half during Real Madrid C.F.’s 4–1 victory over Elche CF on Saturday.
Güler surprised Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro with a clever lob in the 89th minute at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Goals from Antonio Rüdiger, Federico Valverde, and Dean Huijsen also helped Madrid secure the comfortable win, moving them to within one point of league leaders FC Barcelona ahead of their match on Sunday.
The strike came from an astonishing 68.6 metres (75 yards), making it the longest goal scored in the last 15 seasons of La Liga.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV, Arbeloa said the moment was unforgettable.
“That goal deserves to be framed and hung on a wall,” he said. “It was amazing. I saw everyone throw their hands up in disbelief, and I did the same. It was worth paying for a ticket—maybe even two or three—just to witness something like that.”
Elche manager Eder Sarabia also praised the goal despite the defeat, describing Güler as an exceptional player.
“He’s a phenomenal footballer,” Sarabia said. “We lost the ball unnecessarily, and then one of the best players in the world takes advantage. Even though it’s frustrating for us, as a football fan you have to admit it was an incredible goal. You need great vision and skill to both see the opportunity and execute it.”
Madrid rested several key players ahead of their upcoming UEFA Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Manchester City F.C. on Tuesday, introducing five substitutes aged 21 or younger during the match.
Arbeloa admitted the victory was particularly special for him, as many of the young players featured had previously come through the club’s academy while he was coaching there.
“As someone who also came through the youth ranks to play for the first team, nights like this make me incredibly proud,” he said. “It reminded me of the famous La Quinta del Buitre era. Seeing these young talents perform like this is a joy for any Madrid fan.”
Meanwhile, Arbeloa confirmed that star forward Kylian Mbappé, who is recovering from a knee sprain, will be assessed during training at Real Madrid City (Valdebebas) on Sunday to determine if he can feature in the crucial Champions League clash in Manchester.
“We’ll test Mbappé tomorrow and see how he feels,” Arbeloa said. “If he’s able to travel to Manchester, it will be fantastic news for us.”
