Real Madrid is being given a hard time by the media in Spain following their humiliating loss to archrivals Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Supercup. Real Madrid was defeated by Barcelona by a score of 3-1. Fede valverde, a midfielder for both teams, has offered an explanation for the disparity between them that is fairly surprising.
After the game, Valverde revealed to MD that Los Blancos did not start the contest at full speed, like they had been doing for the previous several matches.
“Today the team wasn’t very good, and their performance reflected that. We failed to begin a test by giving our all effort from the very beginning, which is required in a final. We went into the game planning to give a score of 80 or 90, but that won’t do.
Even more cause for concern will be the example that is established by the statement made by Valverde.
Real Madrid has only won two of their past five matches in La Liga, and they had to win on penalties against Valencia in order to go to the semi-finals of the Supercup. If it was, in fact, a lack of effort on their part that led to their loss, then it is possible that effort levels in subsequent games could also be called into question.
Valverde, who is renowned for his hunger, passion, and hard-running, is one of the last players that you would expect to hear a statement like this from. During the team’s loss to Villarreal the previous weekend, Carlo Ancelotti voiced his dissatisfaction with the amount of effort and sacrifice displayed by the defense. It appears that the manager will have to put in additional effort to motivate his players.