Federico Valverde, Real Madrid player
Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
The recent Madrid derby that ended in favour of Atletico Madrid was full of controversies and questionable calls from referees, most of which did not favour Real Madrid.
One of the instances saw Kang-in Lee make a poorly-timed challenge on Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde while he was carrying the ball through midfield.
The challenge was made just before half-time and Real Madrid argued that it deserved a red card.
It was reported after the game that the midfielder has sprained his ankle following the challenge from Lee and could miss several weeks.
Valverde may undergo more tests
Federico Valverde, Real Madrid player
Valverde has sprained his ankle. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)
A recent report from COPE has offered an update on Valverde’s fitness, adding that inflammation continues for the player in his ankle.
Should the inflammation subside, the midfielder could undergo more tests tomorrow as Real Madrid still figure out the extent of the injury.
More tests could give Real Madrid a better picture of how serious Valverde’s injury really is, with current reports claiming anywhere between two to three weeks.
A big blow for Real Madrid
In any case, Valverde’s injury serves as a major blow for Real Madrid, given that midfield has been a major weakness for the club.
The Uruguayan international was one of those only players who was able to maximise his performances under Jose Mourinho.
Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid
Real Madrid will be banking on Valverde to return as soon as possible. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Fortunately for Real Madrid, the long international break would offer Valverde some valuable time to recover without having to worry about missing key matches.
With club football set to resume on during the second week of October, Valverde has ample time to recover.
But one thing is for sure, Valverde will not be participating in the international break. He was primed to receive a call-up from the Uruguayan national team for the upcoming friendlies against Japan and South Korea.
In the meantime, Mourinho must find a way solution to his team’s problems in midfield, even if Valverde becomes available after the end of the international break.
Former Spanish footballer opines on Real Madrid’s loss to Atletico Madrid – “Different men but same problem”
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid coach
Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Real Madrid’s recent 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid had a lot of factors attached to it, including some controversial calls from the referee and the VAR team.
But it doesn’t take away anything from the fact that it was yet another disappointing performance from Jose Mourinho’s men, who have now fallen to fourth place in the league table.
Real Madrid have lacked character in crunch matches and it appears the problems run much deeper for the club, at least that is what former player Alvaro Benito seems to think.
What Benito said about Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Real Madrid’s problems run deep. (Photo by Mateo Villalba Sanchez/Getty Images)
Speaking to Cadena SER, Benito insisted the issues at Real Madrid go far beyond the controversy of the derby, arguing they are deep-rooted and long-standing.
“Here I think the reflection is much deeper. If you have been two years and a peak seeing practically the same thing on the grass, the same problems and the nature of the problems is the same.
“No change has been glimpsed with any of the coaches being of different nature each, then the problem is much deeper I say, right?” he said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
Benito raised an important point about how Real Madrid continue to struggle despite going through a massive overhaul this summer.
“They’re different men, but the same. You can win. The other day in Elche you win, but the feeling that the collective gives you is that the same problems are reproduced every day.
“And we could all sweep that, except for exceptional case, you were going to come here and see what we’re seeing,” he added.
A question of identity
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager
Can Mourinho turn things around after the break? (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Benito went on to question whether Mourinho’s preferred style is being reflected on the pitch, given the quality of players at his disposal.
“Mou has historically always been a very strong half block, stealing and attacking vertical. Perfect. That would come perfectly to Madrid with the kind of players it has, but we don’t see it,” Benito said.
The comments cut to the heart of the concerns surrounding Real Madrid this season. Despite a change in the dugout and heavy investment in the squad, the same structural problems appear to persist.
Benito believes that until they are addressed at a deeper level, results like the derby defeat will continue to occur.
For Mourinho, the international break now offers a chance to reflect and find solutions, with the pressure already mounting to prove that his Real Madrid can be more than the sum of its parts.