Fede Valverde isn’t ready to declare Real Madrid’s season a lost cause, even after a bruising defeat in one of football’s biggest rivalries.
The midfielder addressed the club’s inconsistent form in a chat with Universal Valdano, acknowledging the pain of a recent loss while insisting the campaign is far from over.
Softfootball gathered that Valverde didn’t shy away from crediting the opposition, saying:
The level of football that we are having is not the best. It hurts to lose against a direct rival and against whom you are playing your pride and honour.
Barcelona played a very good game, especially in the second half. They scored the second and it goes beyond the tactical or the footballing and you go a little more crazy.
Drawing on past experience, Valverde pointed to Madrid’s famous resilience after a heavy Bernabeu defeat years ago that still ended in Champions League glory, adding:
There’s still a lot to compete for, a lot to fight for. We have to be the first to work our butts off in training.
