By Martin Graham
when Manchester City supporters watched Real Madrid starting eleven before the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League, the absence of Kylian Mbappé it looked like a big boost for the visitors.
What few expected was Federico Valverde producing one of the most outstanding performances of his career at the Bernabéu.
The Uruguayan midfielder is better known for powerful long-range strikes than consistent goalscoring. He has also been frequently deployed at right back this season to help cover injuries, making his offensive contribution even less predictable.
Still, in an impressive 42-minute first-half spell, Valverde scored the first hat-trick of his career to fire Real Madrid into a 3-0 lead.
The show was extraordinary. With the arm of captain, Valverde inspired the 15-time European champions with energy, leadership and three outstanding goals.
Teammates surprised by Valverde’s brilliance
The reactions of the injured stars watching from the stands captured the magnitude of the moment.
Jude Bellingham looked stunned as Valverde completed his hat-trick with a spectacular effort, lifting the ball over the Manchester City defender. Marc Guehi before smashing a volley in front of the goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Kylian Mbappe rose from his seat to applaud the finish, a strike impressive enough to earn the admiration of one of football’s most prolific strikers.
Real lateral lateral Trent Alexander-Arnold admitted he felt the same surprise from the pitch. He told TNT Sports that he had admired Valverde even during his time at Liverpool and described the Uruguayan as “the most underrated footballer on the planet”, highlighting his relentless work rate and the trust his teammates place in him.
Childhood struggles shaped his mindset
Although the hat-trick grabbed the headlines, Valverde has been an essential figure at Real Madrid for several years. He joined the club in 2017 before spending a season on loan at Deportivo La Coruna, slowly becoming one of the main members of the squad.
The midfielder grew up in Montevideo and often points to his upbringing as a key influence on his attitude to football and life.
In an interview with UEFA last year, he spoke of the sacrifices his parents made, explaining that they sometimes skipped meals so he could eat.
Valverde also remembered playing on poor dirt fields as a child, fields where animals occasionally roamed the surface. Those early experiences shaped the determination and commitment he now shows on the pitch.
Historical statistics underline special performance
The numbers of the game show how extraordinary Valverde’s contribution was.
Before facing City, he had gone 26 Champions League games without scoring and had never scored more than once in a single game in the competition.
His three first-half goals equaled the total he had scored in his previous 75 Champions League appearances.
Valverde also became the second player to score a first-half hat-trick against an English side in the Champions League. The other was Lionel Messi with Barcelona against Arsenal in April 2010.
His first two strikes came in 27 minutes, the fastest pair scored by a Real Madrid player in a knockout game at the Bernabéu since Cristiano Ronaldo’s brace against Wolfsburg in April 2016.
A leader defined by versatility
Valverde’s performance also highlighted his ability to adapt, which has made him indispensable for Real Madrid.
He had already delivered at a crucial time earlier in the week, scoring a 94th-minute winner against Celta Vigo in La Liga to keep Madrid’s title challenge alive.
He has started 37 of his 39 appearances this season and has been used in both midfield and defense by coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
With Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold out through injury, Valverde spent long spells deputizing at full-back despite preferring to play in midfield. Before the City game, he explained that adapting to the different positions is essential, and added that he always tries to give his best where the coach needs it.
Against Manchester City, that dedication produced a night the Bernabéu will not soon forget, and took Real Madrid a huge step closer to the quarter-finals.
