Federico Valverde's remarkable El Clasico record against Barcelona
FT Desk
- 19 Mar 2022 12:35 GMT
- 8 min read
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will be desperate to see his side pick up all three points against Barcelona on Sunday.
Not only would a win be important due to the ferocious nature of El Clasico as a derby, but it would also put an abrupt halt to Xavi and his in-form team.
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To do that, the Italian manager will likely have to go without Karim Benzema and as such, the likes of Vinicius Jr, Asensio and Luka Modric will prove pivotal.
However, there’s one young player in Ancelotti’s Madrid squad which has already proved time and time again that he’s the perfect star for any clash against the club’s historic rivals.
A remarkable record against Barca
Indeed, Madrid’s great El Clasico hero isn’t Thibaut Courtois, Dani Carvajal or even Toni Kroos, but instead young midfielder Federico Valverde.
Signed by Madrid at the tender age of 18 from Uruguayan side Penarol, Valverde has slowly but surely been developing behind closed doors at the Bernabeu, having made the odd appearance but still not established as a first team starter under Ancelotti or the managers that came before him.
However, when Valverde has been given the opportunity to start for Los Blancos, he has often thrived and that’s certainly the case when we consider the young midfielder’s record against Barcelona.
Interestingly enough, the Uruguay international's first three appearances against Barca all ended in defeat, but in each case he was brought on as a late substitute when the game was all but decided.
But when we look at his record as a starter for Madrid it is much more impressive. In the 2019/20 season, Valverde started both el Clasico derbies in La Liga and helped his side pick up a draw at the Camp Nou and then a 2-0 victory in the Spanish capital.
The following season saw the young midfielder make two further starts against Barca and he improved on his record with a 3-1 win away from home which included a goal from Valverde, followed by a 2-1 victory in Madrid to give Madrid six out of six points.
And, as Madrid fans will undoubtedly remember, the young star then made a second half substitute appearance in the derby earlier this season to see out a win in Barcelona.
All in all, from nine games played against Barca, Valverde has only lost three games but has never allowed his club’s historic rivals to get the better of his team when he’s been afforded a starting role in the team.
