Stuttering Real Madrid need urgent improvement across the board and a full week of training without any matches will hopefully have helped them iron out some of their weaknesses, defender Alvara Arbeola said on Friday.
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The Spanish champions, who host Real Sociedad in their opening La Liga match of 2013 on Sunday, are third in the standings after 17 matches behind second-placed Athletico Madrid and 16 adrift of unbeaten leaders Barcelona.
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Jose Mourinho's side lost their final game of last year 3-2 at Malaga and Arbeola conceded there were ''a lot of things'' the team had needed to work on when they returned from their Christmas holiday.