Real Madrid downplay the noise surrounding 27-year-old key star | OneFootball

Real Madrid cruised past Kairat Almaty with a 0-5 win in their second UEFA Champions League group-stage match on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappe stole the spotlight with a hat-trick, but the talking point afterward was Federico Valverde.

The Uruguayan, a permanent fixture in the team, did not play any part and looked distant on the day – he skipped the rondos, barely warmed up, and did not play a single minute – a day after stating publicly that he was ‘not born to be a right-back.’

It has given way to speculations that there may some tension brewing between the 27-year-old midfielder and manager Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid not worried

Now, according to journalist Melchor Ruiz of COPE, Real Madrid do not understand the fuss surrounding the episode. Internally, they attach little importance either to Valverde’s words or to how passive he may have appeared during the warm-up.

As for the decision to rest him against Kairat Almaty, they back Xabi Alonso’s explanation that it was planned in advance. After all, the manager confirmed after the game, saying:

“It’s a decision that was made. He is always willing to play where he is needed. He is very generous and predisposed.”

Real Madrid not paying much attention to noise around Valverde. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

“The match was decided in the second half and the squad had to be rotated because both he and Carreras saw a sequence of continuous games.”

In any case, club sources point out, if any internal rules were crossed, it would be up to the coach to address it directly with the player.

Valverde breaks silence

Earlier today, amidst all the noise surrounding him and whether his benching against Kairat was due to his refusal to play at right-back, Valverde himself released a statement to clear the air.

“People can say many things about me, but under no circumstances can they say that I refuse to play. I have given everything and more for this club, I’ve played while fractured, injured, and I’ve never complained or asked for a break,” he wrote.

“I have a good relationship with the coach, which makes me feel confident enough to tell him which position I prefer on the pitch, but I always, always made it clear that I’m available to perform anywhere, on any trip, and in every game.”