Real Madrid News
Real Madrid see in-form midfielder as a future club captain – report
Federico Valverde is enjoying a dream start to the 2022/23 campaign at Real Madrid. The Uruguayan international has been in stupendous form at the start of the season and has emerged as one of Carlo Ancelotti’s most vital players.
In nine matches across all competitions, the 24-year-old has already scored four goals and set up two more, underlining his importance to this Real Madrid outfit.
And, as per MARCA, Valverde is seen as a club captain for the future by those at Real Madrid. The midfielder is said to have made a huge impression with not only his performances but his character, passion for the team and leadership.
Because of all these qualities, Los Blancos believe that the 24-year-old could be the leader of the team in the near future when the old guard of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Nacho, Lucas Vazquez and Dani Carvajal move on.
Valverde has the full faith of the club administration, which was reflected in the long-term contract that they handed him last year, keeping him tied down at the Santiago Bernabeu until the summer of 2027.
The Uruguayan is also loved by the fans of the club, as was visible when his celebration after scoring against RB Leipzig last month was cheered.
The report further adds how Luka Modric has taken Valverde under his wing since the midfielder broke into the team and has been guiding him and helping him develop into a leader.
That quality was visible when Valverde cheered his teammate Marco Asensio when he was being whistled by the fans after coming on as a substitute in the game against Leipzig.
Valverde was recently compared to former Liverpool captain and football icon Steven Gerrard by Luis Suarez. And, the midfielder’s manager, Ancelotti, echoed those sentiments, stating that he sees a lot of similarities to Gerrard in the Uruguayan.
It has previously been reported that the 24-year-old harbours ambitions to captain the team in the future. And it seems like the feeling is reciprocated by those at the club as well.
If he continues on the current trajectory, it might not be long before Valverde gets to don the captain’s armband for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid will be looking to pick up their fifth win of the 2026/27 La Liga season when they take on Elche CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight.
With 12 points from five games, Los Blancos are currently second in the league table, three points below leaders FC Barcelona.
As such, the Spanish capital club will be eager to get the win and close the gap to the top.
Guler starts, Bellingham rested
Ahead of kickoff, Real Madrid have announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Elche, with Jose Mourinho making some important changes.
For starters, Arda Guler is back in the lineup after appearing as a substitute in the win over Rayo Vallecano.
Interestingly, however, he starts in the attacking midfield role, with Mourinho opting to rest Jude Bellingham, who has started all of Real Madrid’s games so far.
That also means that Yan Diomande retains his place in the team, starting for a second time in a row on the right wing. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. continue in their respective positions in attack.
Another notable change sees Aurelien Tchouameni make his first start of the season after recovering from injury and making two appearances off the bench.
He replaces Bernardo Silva as Federico Valverde’s partner in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella come in as full-backs, while Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen slot in at centre-back in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 15, 2026
🆚 @ElcheCF
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