Real Madrid: 3 Man of the Match candidates against Villarreal

CM Fede Valverde

Another center midfielder who works extremely hard and has been a Man of the Match player in other big games this season, Fede Valverde actually seems to play at his best when the stakes are the highest. Look no further than his heroic red card in the Spanish Supercup Final against Atletico Madrid, or his other performances against bitter rivals Atleti and FC Barcelona.

Valverde has cooled off since La Liga’s return, but that should make him even more determined to have a defining performance to seal the title for Los Blancos. The 21-year-old is the kind of young player who already exudes leadership qualities, most prominently the ability to step up to the level of competition in front of him.

Depending on which side he plays on, Valverde will be tasked with putting in a huge workload defensively against either Santi Cazorla or Samuel Chukwueze. They are two very different players at very different stages of their careers, but they are equally dangerous to Real Madrid.

Furthermore, Fede can make an impact offensively by ghosting outside the box for scoring opportunities or starting counterattacks with crisp passes. Valverde is a player Villarreal won’t want to take lightly on Thursday night, because he can own this game with his all-around brilliance.