Real Madrid had one of the most disappointing performances of any big club in Europe last weekend when they could only muster a 1-1 draw against Mallorca, struggling on the road against the island club.
There was pressure on Real Madrid to get back to their winning ways as the defending champions of Spain and Europe, and Real Valladolid, newly promoted back to LaLiga, were deemed the perfect opponents for the Merengue club to rebound.
After one half, Real Madrid were still tied 0-0 with Valladolid, leading to concerns that the Merengues would stumble to more dropped points and that the new-look attack was failing to gel without Toni Kroos behind them.
But Real’s new No. 8, Fede Valverde, stepped up with a monstrous effort from long range on a free kick, fooling the goalkeeper and giving Real Madrid a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish.
Valverde is the first big winner from this victory over Real Valladolid, as he created two chances and won four combined tackles and interceptions in another excellent all-around display in the middle of the park.
The 26-year-old quietly gets better in every single season, but more is expected of the experienced Uruguayan now that Kroos is out and Fede has taken on the mantle of being Madrid’s No. 8.
Valverde showed the full range of his skill set in the attack and defense, and with more responsibility, Fede is showing that he can become an even bigger star for Real Madrid in 2024/25.
The second big winner of the win over Valladolid is Endrick. Just 18 years old, Endrick came onto the pitch in the 81st minute and made an immediate impact, scoring the third goal of the afternoon to seal a 3-0 win for the Merengues.
Endrick had a poor Copa America and faced criticism from fans outside Madrid, who wondered if the Palmeiras prospect was merely an invented media sensation and not actually the next big thing.
But Real Madrid fans who watched his off-ball movement in the preseason, uncanny intelligence for his age, and game-changing qualities in practice sessions against Real’s other world-class players understood that Endrick would indeed come good.
That may be happening sooner than expected. Endrick’s goal was brilliant, showcasing his close-control, ability to time shots, and his rocket-powered right foot that will surely yield 20-30 goals in a season within the next handful of years.
Although Brahim Diaz deserves praise for his excellent finish off the bench to make it 2-0 for Real Madrid, everyone who watched Brahim shine last season knew that he would make plays like this.
The third big winner for Real Madrid against Valladolid is left back Fran Garcia, who entered the 2024/25 season with more uncertainty than any other Madrid player, tabbed as a bust of a signing from the 2023 window and a likely candidate for a transfer.
After a poor preseason, Fran looked at home against Valladolid, providing stalwart defending with five combined tackles and interceptions, as well as the quality he showed on the ball for Rayo Vallecano as one of the top left backs in LaLiga with two key passes and two fouls drawn vs. Valladolid.
Yes, Fran will have to prove his mettle against better sides than Valladolid, but they were good enough to stymie Real Madrid for the better part of 50 minutes. Therefore, Fran must be praised for stepping up on Matchday 2 for Real Madrid.
