Fede Valverde Clarifies His Statements, Earning Praise from Madrid Fans

Fede Valverde, alongside coach Carlo Ancelotti, appeared in a press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City. While much of the focus was on the upcoming match and his likely role at right-back, Valverde was also questioned about the recent officiating in LaLiga matches against Espanyol, Atlético Madrid, and Osasuna.

Initially, Valverde defended the referees’ work, but he later refined his stance through a social media post. Just hours before the crucial clash with Manchester City, the midfielder shared a message on ‘X’ to clarify his position.

What Did Fede Valverde Say?

“I am not the one to judge the referee. We are all human and can make mistakes. Referees are criticized a lot, but when they do things well, they don’t always get recognition. My only focus is to be available for the team and, as captain, to ensure we concentrate on working hard to win titles for this club,” Valverde stated during the press conference.

However, later that afternoon at 2:33 PM, he posted on ‘X’:

“I don’t want anyone to misinterpret me, but I especially want to clarify this for our fans: if I didn’t speak about the refereeing we have been suffering, it’s because I KNOW MYSELF (he wrote this in capital letters) and need to focus on tomorrow’s game.”

Valverde didn’t stop there. He also acknowledged the officiating issues in LaLiga:

“Everyone has seen what is happening to us in this league, and I haven’t forgotten. But for now, we must focus on tomorrow, and I will give 100%, as I always have.”

With this statement, Valverde reassured Madrid fans that he is fully aware of the controversial refereeing decisions affecting the team. However, he emphasized that the match against Manchester City is the top priority for the squad at this moment.