Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has claimed fellow Los Blancos midfielder Federico Valverde is among the top three players in the world right now.
The Spanish champions maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they claimed their eighth win in nine games against bitter rivals Barcelona.
Despite a late barrage from the Blaugrana, a three point gap has now opened up at the summit following a neck-and-neck sprint up to this point.
Goal-scorers Karim Benzema, who is as short as 1/33 in football betting to claim tonight’s Ballon D’or, Rodrygo and Fede Valverde all made sure Ferran Torres’ late strike was nothing more than a conciliation.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had several stand out performers including a stout display at the heart of defence from Eder Militao to nullify Robert Lewandowski. However, it was Valverde’s blistering pace and determination in the centre of midfield that caught the eye of most.
It has become customary for the Uruguay international to step up in the ‘El Clasico’, and he hounded young Barca left back Alejandro Balde to great effect, highlighting just how effective he is in defence as well as forcing his team forward.
With five goals and two assists already so far, more than in his last two season combined, he is quickly becoming one of Ancelotti’s most loyal generals as Los Blancos face the reality of long-term servants Toni Kroos and Luka Modric entering the twilight of their careers.
Indeed, the former took to Twitter to hail the 24-year-old as one of the top three players in the world at the moment.
Fede Valverde top 3 in the world right now
— Toni Kroos (@ToniKroos) October 16, 2022
Last month the Madrid manager joked, “if you can’t get a player like that to score at least 10 goals in a season then you should rip up your coaching badge and retire because he has a rock of a foot.”
It seems his words may have kickstarted a new found knack for goalscoring this season, and the ‘rock’ of a foot was certainly on display against Barcelona as he fired in a rasping 25-yard drive to put his side 2-0 up.
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