Real Madrid fans were begging for Carlo Ancelotti to start Fede Valverde against Chelsea. And after snubbing the young midfielder so many times, Ancelotti finally did the wise thing and started the industrious Valverde in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.
He didn’t start Valverde in the middle of the park, though. Carletto opted to start Valverde as a right winger in a 4-3-3. Though not his traditional position, Valverde has proven useful in this spot. And on Wednesday night at Stamford Bridge, he was one of the four best players on the pitch for the Merengues.
The right wing position has been a huge problem spot for Real Madrid – not just in the 2021/22 season but in the previous seasons as well. Gareth Bale’s struggles with staying healthy have left the position wide open.
This season, Carlo Ancelotti tried to use Eden Hazard in a “free role” on the right wing, but that destabilized the structure too much. He then went with Marco Asensio, but Asensio has proven to be disastrous. He can score goals from nothing, but he offers so little in terms of his effort, ball-carrying, and creation that starting him is essentially a guaranteed loss against strong opponents. So thankfully, Ancelotti did not make the mistake of turning to him again.
Fede Valverde has better attacking numbers than Rodrygo Goes
Rodrygo Goes has been the third popular option on the right wing this season. While an adequate player, Rodrygo is not a true right winger. Playing him on the right side may be messing with his development, and the young man has offered close to zero goal threat at the position this season, particularly in league play.
So by starting and succeeding in a massive match on the road in the Champions League quarterfinals, Fede Valverde has made a strong case for being the best option on the right wing. The current “best” option is Rodrygo, by virtue of the fact that he is the lesser of two evils in comparison to Asensio. Bale? He could be the best option in theory, but the reality is that his contract is up, he has no future at the club, and he is an injury risk. In a practical sense, Real Madrid do not seem to have any interest in starting him.
The question then becomes, Valverde or Rodrygo? What’s interesting is that if we compare their stats in LaLiga, Valverde has the edge. He averages more successful dribbles per 90 and more key passes per 90 despite being a midfielder and not a forward like Rodrygo is. Furthermore, he unsurprisingly averages more interceptions per 90 and considerably more tackles per 90.
Valverde is the superior player offensively and defensively. And yes, I understand we are talking about an attacking position on the right wing, but the pressing Valverde provides quickly turns defense into attack. It wears down opponents. Defenders and midfielders are always on their toes when Valverde is around. His work rate helps Dani Carvajal defensively and Luka Modric offensively, as we saw in Lukita’s performances against PSG and Chelsea.
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It’s time for Ancelotti to seriously consider starting Valverde on the right wing going forward. That can keep all three of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Valverde on the pitch, even helping another talented young midfielder in Eduardo Camavinga earn more opportunities.