The softer, friendlier approach from new Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has paid dividends in getting Vinicius Junior back to his superstar status, but more quietly, center midfielder Federico Valverde is also back to his world-class best under the tutelage of the former Merengue right back.
Xabi Alonso may have been the bigger name, but he feuded with the superstars in his locker room, many of whom had already won multiple Champions League titles, and few were honest about the former Bayer Leverkusen manager’s own ego.
Instead, Arbeloa has come in as a full Madridista with humility. He has walked in their shoes, and, like Zinedine Zidane, he relates to them and is a friend and confidant to them, managing the superstars and “egos” of the Madrid dressing room with the same grace.
2023/24 Ballon d’Or candidate Vinicius Jr. has been as good as of late as he was then, scoring in both legs of the Champions League playoff against Benfica with the full support of Arbeloa and the club.
And in that second leg, Fede Valverde provided both of the two assists for Real Madrid, and he has had a goal and an assist in his last two La Liga outings for Real Madrid.
Valverde looks like the leader he was meant to be for Madrid, as brilliant as he was in the preceding seasons after cutting a forlorn figure under Alonso, cast aside, ignored, and even villainized by the former Madrid manager despite being the one to bear the brunt of playing out of position every week with no reward.
It is wonderful to see Vini and Valverde, two bedrocks of this new era of Real Madrid football, shining and enjoying their football. Valverde was brilliant again vs. Benfica, and there is more yet to come for Madrid and the Uruguayan star.
Joe Soriano is the editor of The Trivela Effect and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like The Real Champs (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage NFL Spin Zone and Daily DDT, covering the NFL and pro wrestling.