Real Madrid fans online were critical of Fede Valverde starting in their LaLiga clash against Elche on March 14. Madridistas believe the Uruguayan should have been rested instead.
Coach Alvaro Arbeloa went for a strong starting XI against Elche as they cannot afford to lose any upcoming game if they want to compete with Barcelona for the title. Thibaut Courtois guards the goal, with the backline featuring Dani Carvajal, Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger, and Fran Garcia. The midfield features Thiago Pitarch, Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga. The attack features Vinicius Jr and Brahim Diaz.
Thanks for the submission!
Fans took to X to react to the Real Madrid line-up, with many wondering why Fede Valverde was not rested for the Elche clash. The midfielder has made 39 appearances for Los Blancos this season, missing only one game in LaLiga due to an injury. One Madridista wrote:
“Please someone tell arbeloa to treat valverde like an actual human being and not a damn machine.”
Some others also shared similar thoughts:
Fans continued to share their thoughts on Fede Valverde starting in a game not considered as difficult in the league.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa shares update on Kylian Mbappe’s injury ahead of Elche clash
In the pre-match press conference, Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa shared an update on Kylian Mbappe‘s injury. The French superstar missed the Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Manchester City and is not in squad for the LaLiga clash against Elche. He has been suffering from a knee injury. Arbeloa said (via Managing Madrid):
“He’s getting better every day, his progress is as it should be. We made a plan, it depends on his progress, but I think he’s doing very well. He won’t be there tomorrow, but I’m confident he’ll travel to Manchester.”
He added:
“I want him to be able to go to Manchester, we’ll see how he feels. We’ll decide on Sunday. Hopefully he’ll be able to play, then we’ll discuss it with France.”
Real Madrid won 3-0 against Manchester City in the UCL Round of 16 first leg this week. While Guardiola’s side will hope for a comeback, Los Blancos remain comparatively out of pressure. Meanwhile, they remain five points behind first-placed Barcelona (67 points) in LaLiga after 27 games.
With the title race still ongoing, the Spanish giants will hope to continue a winning strike and hope for Barcelona to falter in their upcoming games. The upcoming El Clasico in May is also expected to play a key role in determining the LaLiga title race.
Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar
