Real Madrid: 5 players who must shine against Atelti in Supercup Final
CM Fede Valverde
The 21-year-old has been one of the biggest breakout stars in world football this season, and Real Madrid fans should expect nothing less than a sublime performance from Fede Valverde in the Spanish Supercup Final.
Valverde was right there with Toni Kroos as the best player on the pitch against Valencia, absolutely owning an overmatched midfield. At his young age, Valverde plays like a veteran who has been at the world-class level for years. It is remarkable how much he impacts the game in every phase and how much better Real Madrid look with him on the pitch.
In a game in which Madrid dominated the passing and possession, Valverde had the highest pass completion percentage (95.6%) on 91 passes, per WhoScored.com. A pair of those were key passes, and Valverde also added two dribbles completed and two interceptions. Look for him to have a similarly profound impact on Sunday.
ST Mariano Diaz
Mariano Diaz received a cameo appearance as a substitute against Valencia, which marked the first time he’s appeared in a game this season for Los Blancos. With Karim Benzema shining as the best striker in Europe and Luka Jovic lurking as a future star on the bench, it’s been tough for Mariano, a former 20-goal scorer in his own right, to make an impact.
While he only registered three touches, he completed all three of his passes, including one key pass. And you only need to look at the massive amount of dirt on his kit to see how hard he’s working to make an impression on Zinedine Zidane and the fans. After having a chance to leave Madrid, Mariano stayed and desperately wants to be a star at the club he loves.
Next. Assessing Luka Jovic's path to the first team. dark
It may never work out for him, but he clearly has talent and desire. If he gets another chance to shine against Atleti, don’t be surprised if he takes it.