The home crowd in attendance at Real Madrid’s meeting with Villarreal made use of the opportunity to send a clear message to a member of the club’s midfield ranks.
The player in question? Federico Valverde.
Engine room standout Valverde has of course endured an altogether trying week to date.
First, the Uruguayan was singled out for rare but heavy crticism in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s derby defeat at the hands of Atlético.
Then, reports began to circulate that the 27-year-old had refused to take to the pitch in Los Blancos’ Champions League clash with Kairat.
So prominent were these claims that Valverde felt it necessary to take to his social media platforms, to issue a lengthy statement:
Restored to Xabi Alonso’s starting XI on Saturday evening, Valverde was in turn provided with some welcome backing on the part of his side’s fans.
As showcased below, upon the South American’s name being read out ahead of kick-off against Villarreal, the Santiago Bernabéu faithful came together to produce a collective roar of support:
Conor Laird – GSFN
