Valverde does not lower his arms

“I had a hard time coming back. You have to be self-critical. I did not do things as a Real Madrid player should do“It was so blunt Valverde for Movistar microphones moments after winning at Villamarín. His team had come back from a tough game and he had scoredbut instead of letting himself be carried away by rejoicing, he took a turn to speak to sing a message of self-criticism. It is his way of being: sincere with the fan and with himself also when the wind blows in his favor.

El Pajarito had lived an unstable downhill in recent months, ceasing to be so fundamental in Zidane's plans and losing freshness. It has continued to participate and be important, but with less shine and weight on the block. From the win against Galatasaray the November 6, 2019 has played in all the games (except against Sevilla due to suspension), sealing a total of 40 crashes with minutes from the last 41. His versatility is an ace up his sleeve: he can play both as a pivot, as a steering wheel, as well as an extreme.

The problem is that although he enjoyed many minutes, he was not there. Physically he arrived just at the final stretch of the matches, with the ball it was not so decisive and in front of goal, nonexistent. But Villamarín has been a point and apart. Zidane trusted him, lining him up as a starter after being a substitute against Real and Pajarito complied. Who was going to tell him that just the day he Madrid would play with a double point (Benzema-Jovic) it would be his right boot that I would open the can to slam the goal dilemma.

It was the icing on the cake outstanding night. Montevideo's lung served as such and showed that it has returned. Zidane left him 90 minutes, seeing that fatigue did not affect him despite the fact that the game, totally crazy, had constant comings and goings. It is in that environment of enormous physical load that Valverde performs best. The first part Madrid suffered, but Betis ran out of gasoline long before Birdie and there the balance was tipped to the meringue side. Escorted by Casemiro, Modric and Isco, he turned the duel into a monologue that ended in a comeback. Zidane never stopped trusting Valverde, but now he knows that he fifteen has recovered its best level. And those are major words.

End to goal drought

Wore 308 days unmarked, almost a calendar year. He had not done it since November 23, 2019, against Real Sociedad on matchday 14 of last season. Benzema served him a center from the right and the Uruguayan, entering the small area with everything, finished to put the ball at the far post. It was one of the few actions of the party that did not give rise to controversy. The goal was clean and, at the same time, a liberation.