Real Madrid: 5 MVP candidates for the 2019-2020 season

CM Fede Valverde

It was annoying to see EA Sports snub Fede Valverde from their La Liga Team of the Season collection, even as a league-high six Real Madrid players did make the cut. And it was especially frustrating to see Frenkie de Jong make the cut over Valverde, even though the Uruguayan bossed the more expensive center midfielder in BOTH Clasicos this season.

Valverde was one of the best big-game players in the entire league, and no player affected his team’s +/- when not on the pitch more than Fede, per FBRef.com.

Perhaps no single play exemplifies Valverde’s intensity and quick-thinking than his purposeful red-card tackle on Alvaro Morata in the Spanish Supercup Final. Valverde’s professional foul, while harsh, kept his team in the game at 0-0, with Real Madrid eventually hoisting the trophy after defeating their crosstown rivals Atleti in penalties. Even Diego Simeone gave Fede a nod after the game.

Valverde is the kind of player everyone dreams of having in their side, and whenever he wasn’t on the pitch, Real Madrid looked lifeless. Look no further than his performance in the 4-2 over Granada, which was his first breakout game, to see how profoundly he impacts games with his relentless running and progressive passing.