Federico Valverde Scout Report – The Rising Importance Of Real Madrid’s Newest Hero

Federico Valverdes performances to begin the season have dazzled Madridistas.

The 24-year-old has been instrumental to Real Madrids perfect start to their La Liga and UEFA Champions League campaigns and has cemented himself as one of the first names on Carlo Ancelottis team sheet.

The Uruguay international is a managers dream.

He is capable of adapting to any position on the pitch and is Real Madrids third attacker, fourth midfielder, and fifth defender.

Valverde arrived in the Spanish capital in 2016 for a €5m fee, spending his first season in the Castilla before joining Deportivo La Coruña on loan for the 2017/18 season.

Fede returned to a Madrid side that had enjoyed one of the clubs most successful periods in its history. The team possessed the best midfield in the world, encapsulated by the holy trident of Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro.

Whereas the likes of Martin Ødegaard and Marcos Llorente have been offloaded, Valverde has patiently bided his time and has now become a regular for club and country.

What has most caught the eye in recent weeks is his involvement in front of goal, notching 4 goals and 2 assists in Real Madrids last seven games in all competitions.

This tactical analysis and scout report will highlight Valverdes growing importance in this Madrid side.

The analysis dissects how the player is performing multiple roles across the pitch.

Federico Valverde Positions and style of play

A glance at Fede Valverdes bloodied shirt during the first half of Sunday nights Madrid derby will give you a glimpse of the type of player he is.

As ever, Federico left his blood, sweat and tears on the pitch.

Since his arrival at the club, he has been dubbed the midfield successor to Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos.

With the pair ageing like fine wine and the club still winning trophies, however, the midfield has been a tough area to break into consistently.

During the 2021/22 season, Ancelotti started deploying Valverde on the right wing.

It suited the Italians tactics, especially in the big games.

Fede had the responsibility of supporting a tiring midfield with an average age of 33 while also allowing Vinicius Jr.

to remain high up the pitch and focus on attacking.

Fede was capable of bringing balance to a team that has often proved impressive in the final third but vulnerable further back.

Gareth Bales decline and departure, Eden Hazards inconsistency and fitness issues, and Kylian Mbappes U-turn to remain in Paris also contributed to the teams lack of depth across the front three.

Rodrygo and Marco Asensio mainly provide competition for Valverde on the right side.

Federico Valverde Heat Map

The players heatmap so far this season demonstrates his capability of covering large areas of the pitch.

In Real Madrids nine games so far this season, he has started and completed 90 minutes in all but one game.

Out of his nine starts, seven have been from the right and only one has come from midfield.

This also has to do, in part, with Karim Benzema being sidelined with a muscle injury.

From the right w