Revealed: What sparked Fede Valverde’s rift with Xabi Alonso | OneFootball

Fede Valverde has always been cited as the example of commitment for any Real Madrid player, having left everything on the pitch, and lent his services to a number of different roles and tasks. Hence why it was so striking that the Uruguayan looked so forlorn after being left out against Kairat Almaty during Los Blancos’ 5-0 win in Kazakhstan.

The 26-year-old spoke ahead of the match, noting that he was ‘not born to play right-back’, but had never refused to play in any position. Ahead of the Kairat clash though, Valverde was on the bench, and did not warm-up with the other substitutes before the game. After being sent to warm-up during the match, Valverde then stood with his arms behind his back on the touchline in apparent silent protest.

Xabi Alonso had planned to start Valverde at right-back

Before the match, Diario AS say that Xabi Alonso had planned to use Valverde at right-back. With Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold out injured, Valverde was the most obvious choice there ahead of Raul Asencio, having played well there last season.

Image via EFE / ABC

Alonso sends message to Valverde

Despite Valverde’s words in the pre-match, RadioMarca claim that Valverde did not feature at right-back against Kairat because he refused to do so. Perhaps in tune with Valverde’s version in the press conference, AS say that it was Valverde’s words in the press conference, not an outright refusal but an indication of his frustration publicly, that led Alonso to bench Valverde.

Ahead of a crucial clash with Villarreal this weekend, in which Los Blancos will seek to continue their response to a heavy derby defeat, all eyes will be on Alonso and his handling of Valverde. All of course without a natural solution in the senior squad at right-back of course.