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The match against Roma marked a turning point for Fede Valverde and potentially for Real Madrid's season. With the team trailing 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico, the Uruguayan moved to right-back, prompting José Mourinho to adopt a tactical approach he had previously resisted: using his captain as a wing-back.
Real Madrid completed a comeback victory that night, and Mourinho has since repeated the formula against Sevilla and RB Leipzig. Both matches ended in convincing 4-1 wins, strengthening the possibility that the Portuguese coach will stick with the same setup for Sunday's trip to Barcelona.
Valverde has never hidden his preference for playing in central midfield rather than at full-back. However, the numbers suggest he is becoming increasingly influential in his new role. Against Leipzig, he recorded 116 touches, his highest total of the season. By comparison, he managed just 37 in the derby defeat at the Metropolitano, 52 against Villarreal and 47 against Roma before Mourinho moved him into a wider position.
His performances in the new role have also highlighted his dribbling, defensive work and ability to carry the ball forward. Valverde completed three dribbles against Leipzig, along with five recoveries and several progressive runs. He also led Real Madrid in touches, recoveries (11), clearances (five), tackles (four) and progressive passes (11). Only Kylian Mbappé and Arda Güler touched the ball more frequently than Valverde inside the opposition penalty area, where he recorded four touches.
Mourinho now has clear evidence that deploying Valverde at right-back can benefit the team. With space ahead of him to accelerate into, the number 8 can make better use of his physical strength, dribbling and ability to drive forward. These qualities are more difficult to exploit in a double pivot, where his movements are naturally more restricted.
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| LA LIGA | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | |||
| POS | TEAM | M | +/- | P |
| 1 | Barcelona | 9 | 30 | 27 |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 9 | 11 | 22 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 9 | 14 | 21 |
| 4 | Real Betis | 9 | 2 | 19 |
| 5 | Real Sociedad | 9 | 0 | 16 |
| 6 | Sevilla | 9 | -2 | 14 |
| 7 | Alaves | 9 | 3 | 11 |
| 8 | Celta Vigo | 9 | 3 | 11 |
| 9 | Deportivo La Coruna | 9 | 1 | 11 |
| 10 | Osasuna | 9 | -8 | 11 |
| 11 | Levante | 9 | -2 | 10 |
| 12 | Villarreal | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 13 | Athletic Club | 8 | -1 | 9 |
| 14 | Rayo Vallecano | 8 | -5 | 9 |
| 15 | Getafe | 9 | -6 | 9 |
| 16 | Espanyol | 9 | -1 | 8 |
| 17 | Racing Santander | 9 | -12 | 8 |
| 18 | Elche | 9 | -6 | 7 |
| 19 | Valencia | 9 | -9 | 6 |
| 20 | Malaga | 9 | -12 | 4 |
| POS | TEAM | M | +/- | P |
| 1 | Paris Saint Germain | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 3 | 9 | 9 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 | Real Madrid | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| 5 | Real Betis | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| 6 | VfB Stuttgart | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Arsenal | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 8 | Barcelona | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 9 | Como | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| 10 | Manchester City | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 11 | Club Brugge KV | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 12 | Sporting CP | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 13 | Borussia Dortmund | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 14 | Bayern München | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| 15 | AS Roma | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 16 | Atletico Madrid | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 17 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 18 | PSV Eindhoven | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 19 | Villarreal | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 20 | Manchester United | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 21 | Inter | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 22 | Napoli | 3 | -2 | 3 |
| 23 | Galatasaray | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 24 | Lask Linz | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 25 | Sabah FC | 3 | -3 | 3 |
| 26 | Feyenoord | 3 | -4 | 3 |
| 27 | Lens | 3 | -4 | 3 |
| 28 | Bodo/Glimt | 3 | -5 | 3 |
| 29 | AEK Athens FC | 3 | -5 | 3 |
| 30 | RB Leipzig | 3 | -5 | 3 |
| 31 | Fenerbahçe | 3 | -6 | 2 |
| 32 | Slavia Praha | 3 | -3 | 1 |
| 33 | Viking | 3 | -4 | 1 |
| 34 | FC Porto | 3 | -4 | 0 |
| 35 | Lille | 3 | -6 | 0 |
| 36 | Slovan Bratislava | 3 | -12 | 0 |
| LA LIGA | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | |
| Raphinha | 12 Goals | Barcelona |
| Kylian Mbappé | 9 Goals | Real Madrid |
| Lamine Yamal | 8 Goals | Barcelona |
| Sergio Camello | 7 Goals | Rayo Vallecano |
| M. Zabiri | 7 Goals | Racing Santander |
| J. Mickels | 4 Goals | Sabah FA |
| E. Demirović | 4 Goals | VfB Stuttgart |
| E. Haaland | 4 Goals | Manchester City |
| S. Guirassy | 4 Goals | Borussia Dortmund |
| H. Kane | 4 Goals | Bayern München |
