Real Madrid fans set high expectations when Xabi Alonso was announced as the new manager earlier this summer. The Spaniard is a legend at the club as a player, and fans, as well as Alonso himself, hope he can stamp his name in the history books as one of Real's top managers.
One place many fans were hoping Alonso's effect would be felt most is with the individual performances of some players. In the dying days of Carlo Ancelotti's tenure, there were several players who saw a drop in their form, and Xabi Alonso made it a priority to get those players back to form.
Players like Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni, among others, were performing at below their level and have become some of the team's cornerstones since the Spaniard's arrival.
Another player looking to find his form again is Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan midfielder sort of faded into the background towards the end of Ancelotti's time, and he seemed on course to be another cornerstone piece in Xabi Alonso's system.
Valverde was one of the first names on the team sheet and the captain during this summer's Club World Cup, and started off the season hot once La Liga rolled around. However, since then, he hasn't seemed like the same Valverde fans know and love, leaving many to question: What's wrong with Fede Valverde?
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As mentioned earlier, Valverde started off the new season hot with four assists in La Liga, but has since struggled to make an impact. His presence was pretty much invisible in Real's embarrassing 5-2 derby defeat to Atlético, and he was an unused substitute against Kairat Almaty in the Champions League.
Real were without both right-backs for the Kairat game, and while Xabi Alonso opted to play Raúl Asencio at fullback, according to reports, he asked Valverde to warm up during the game to go in at fullback, but the Uruguayan refused and instead stood on the sidelines with his hands behind his back.
The 27-year-old took to social media to debunk those claims in a lengthy message, stating he has a great relationship with coach Xabi Alonso, which allows him to make it known to the manager that he wishes to play in his desired midfield position.
We've all watched Valverde for years, and every fan knows he's not the kind of player who would refuse to play. When looking at his performances recently, his situation comes down to one thing: tiredness. The Uruguayan has played in almost all of Real's recent games as well as both games for Uruguay in last month's international break.
He's played well over 70 games since last season and hasn't gotten a proper rest since, and it seems that ironman status is catching up to him.