Real Madrid: 5 players who must shine against Mallorca

CM Fede Valverde

Fede Valverde seems to always be a key player for Real Madrid, because his running and technical quality make him an all-action midfielder for Los Blancos. The young Uruguayan never stops trying to make things happen, and he is already well on his way to becoming known as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in European football.

Since Casemiro picked up his 10th yellow card of the season against Real Sociedad and has no backup, Valverde becomes the defensive midfielder by default. It’s a role that isn’t perfect for Valverde, but he has the defensive quality and passing range to succeed.

Expect Valverde to have his hands full with Takefusa Kubo defensively. That will be a fun battle to watch between two of Real’s best young players.

CB Raphael Varane

Eder Militao will be under the most pressure to start in the place of Sergio Ramos, but Raphael Varane also needs to have another top-notch performance. Mallorca are capable of tricky runs and combination play in the final third, so Varane needs to be the one to stop things before they happen by blocking passing lanes.

The best way for Mallorca to score is through individual mistakes, which are often the only way Real concede. Therefore, it is up to Varane to clean up after others and make sure his teammates, especially Militao, aren’t in a position to make an error.