Zinedine Zidane gives Fede Valverde injury update before second leg
Real Madrid are gearing up for their second leg matchup against Liverpool in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. They won last week’s first leg behind two goals from Vinicius Junior and one goal from Marco Asensio, so they are heavy favorites to walk back into the semifinals of the competition.
One of the key questions surrounding the second leg has been related to injuries. Real just lost Lucas Vazquez for the remainder of the season, and he has been vital to the team this season. He was their starting right back with Dani Carvajal still out.
A possible way of replacing Vazquez is a back three with Fede Valverde as the right-sided wide man. But his status was put in doubt after picking up a knock against Barcelona this weekend.
The good news for Madridistas is that Zinedine Zidane has given a rather effusive statement about Valverde’s status for Wednesday night’s match at Anfield.
Zinedine Zidane says Fede Valverde will be available for Real Madrid at Liverpool
Via the Madrid Zone on Twitter, Zidane declared that Valverde is 100 percent ready to play and will be available for selection in the match.
Valverde should give Real Madrid a huge boost. If he starts on Wednesday, he could make a big difference on that right-hand side. Aside from potentially being a wing back in a 3-5-2 formation, Valverde could also start as a right winger to help out Alvaro Odriozola at right back, just as he did this weekend in El Clasico.
The Real Madrid midfielder is one of the most valuable players in the world at his position, and he has been a difference-maker in several big games since the start of 2019-2020, such as the Clasicos and Derbis of the previous season. And he was great in the first few months of the current campaign before injuries derailed his momentum.
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Even if Valverde cannot start, he could be an impact sub for Los Blancos against Liverpool on Wednesday night. But based on Zidane’s strong statement of “100 percent” at the press conference, Madridistas can expect the Uruguayan to be a starter if the formation calls for his skill-set. Recall that on Saturday, Valverde helped create the first goal for Real with a charging run up the pitch. That kind of play is very much a part of his skill-set.