Reenergized Fede Valverde Vital For Real Madrid

Madrid—Fede Valverde delivered a statement performance in Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat of Benfica on Wednesday, authoring both assists to keep the Bernabéu crowd on its feet and underline his growing influence under new coach Álvaro Arbeloa.

The Uruguayan’s first contribution arrived in the 16th minute when he seized possession in the center circle, drove forward and clipped a precise cutback to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who rifled in the opener. With ten minutes remaining, Valverde again triggered the decisive sequence: he won a 50-50 duel, recovered the ball and slipped a pass to Vinicius, who finished clinically for the match-winner.

Those two assists lifted Valverde’s season tally to 12, the first time he has reached double figures in a Madrid shirt and a haul compiled in just 38 appearances. Seven of those assists have come in La Liga, where he sits level with Arda Güler in third place on the creative chart.

The 25-year-old’s renaissance has coincided with Arbeloa’s arrival. In 11 matches under the new coach, Valverde has scored once and provided five assists—averaging a direct goal contribution every 159 minutes. That marks a sharp uptick from his output under predecessor Xabi Alonso, when he managed one goal and seven assists in 25 matches, a contribution every 260 minutes.

Valverde’s versatility has been central to his impact. Seven of his goal involvements this season have arrived while stationed in midfield, with the other seven recorded after he was deployed as an auxiliary right-back. The return of Trent Alexander-Arnold to fitness has allowed the Uruguayan to reclaim his preferred central-midfield berth, where he has started the last five games.

What caught the eye against Benfica was Valverde’s advanced positioning. Only Vinicius averaged higher up the pitch among Madrid starters, a notable development given that Valverde spent much of the night operating through the middle rather than on the flank. He registered four touches inside Benfica’s penalty area, matching Vinicius for the team high, and consistently looked to break the lines in the second half.

Whether this signals a permanent tactical tweak—pushing Valverde closer to the final third—will be closely monitored as Madrid enter a decisive stretch of fixtures. For now, the reenergized midfielder is proving indispensable, driving his side forward with boundless energy and a newfound creative edge.