Real Madrid News
Real Madrid icon’s call on midfield ace looks prophetic after CL win vs Man City: ‘So obvious’
Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City once again showed that the Galacticos thrive under pressure, and a certain Federico Valverde was right at the heart of it.
The Uruguayan continues to prove why he is one of the most reliable figures regardless of who he is playing under.
Watching him perform on such a stage, it is easy to forget that his rise was spotted years ago by someone who knew exactly what he was looking at.
Former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who was on punditry duty for Amazon Prime during the clash, took the opportunity to revisit his first impression of Valverde.
What’s the story?
Seedorf’s connection with the midfielder goes back to his brief managerial spell at Deportivo de La Coruna, where Valverde spent time on loan as a teenager.
Reflecting on that period, the Dutchman recalled the exact moment he realised he was dealing with something special.
He said, “I coached him when he was 18,” before going on to describe how quickly Valverde stood out in training.
“In the first 15 minutes, we worked on possession, and I asked my assistant, ‘Who is that kid?’ ‘Valverde—what’s up with him?’
“I told him, ‘Do me a favour: put him on the starting 11 list for the next game. We’ll decide on the other 10 later.”
Seedorf did not stop there, as he went on to reveal just how clear Valverde’s ceiling was even at that early stage.
Despite still being raw, the midfielder already possessed qualities that separated him from his peers.
“His talent was so obvious. He wasn’t what he is today, but his potential was incredible. I’m very proud of him,” he noted.
Looking at Valverde now, dictating games, covering every blade of grass and stepping up in decisive moments, Seedorf’s words feel less like praise and more like confirmation of what was always destined to happen.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
One of the biggest positives for Real Madrid from the last season was the breakthrough of young midfielder Thiago Pitarch.
The 19-year-old La Fabrica prospect had been in the first-team dynamics since pre-season under Xabi Alonso, but finally got his senior debut under Alvaro Arbeloa at the turn of the year.
From that moment on, Pitarch did not look back at all, gaining prominence in the team and even starting important matches ahead of established players like Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos.
However, things have not gone as per plans for the teenager this season as he has yet to play a single minute of first-team football.
January loan no longer ruled out
As such, Diario AS now reports that Pitarch would consider leaving Real Madrid on loan during the January transfer window if his situation does not improve.
The teenage midfielder suffered an injury in pre-season which kept him sidelined for a few weeks, denying him an opportunity to start the season under Jose Mourinho.
By the time he returned, the Portuguese tactician had already identified his preferred hierarchy in midfield, with the likes of Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni and Camavinga firmly ahead in the pecking order.
A stark difference from his debut season
In his debut season, Pitarch ended with 16 first-team appearances for Real Madrid with two assists to his name.
In contrast, this term, the academy graduate has been called up to the matchday squad for five games by Mourinho this term, but has yet to play a single minute of football.
Given the situation, he used the international break to jump down to Castilla and play close to 250 minutes across three games, during which he also registered an assist.
The situation is far from ideal for a young talent who needs regular minutes to continue his development and build on his impressive breakthrough campaign.
As such, the possibility of a departure on loan in January could be considered, after Pitarch turned down offers in the summer to stay at Real Madrid.
A lot will depend on how things evolve in the next couple of months, but a temporary exit cannot be ruled out.
