Federico Valverde has lifted the lid on the heated atmosphere inside the Real Madrid dressing room following their humiliating 5-2 defeat against Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby. The Uruguayan midfielder described the fallout as one of the most emotionally charged moments of his career with Los Blancos.
The crushing loss at the Metropolitano Stadium was a bitter blow for Xabi Alonso’s side, who had been enjoying a flawless run in La Liga. Despite clawing back to 2-2 in the first half through goals from Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler, Madrid collapsed after the break as their city rivals scored three unanswered goals.
Not only did the defeat end Madrid’s winning streak, but it also cost them their spot at the top of the table, with Barcelona moving one point clear at the summit.
Valverde: “Our Attitude Was Unacceptable”
Speaking ahead of Madrid’s Champions League clash with Kairat Almaty, Valverde admitted that the atmosphere in the dressing room has been filled with tension, tough conversations, and deep evaluations.
“The last two days have been incredibly tough for all of us. That loss was devastating,” said the Uruguay international.
“We’ve had countless discussions—honestly, since I joined Madrid, I can hardly recall moments where the team talked with this level of intensity. Changes must be made immediately, especially when it comes to our mentality on the pitch.”
Valverde stressed that motivation should come naturally in derby games and warned that such lapses in attitude should never happen again.
“You can fail tactically, technically, or even physically, but when it comes to mentality and desire, there’s no excuse. That is the foundation of winning. Against Atletico, we looked like we were satisfied with a draw, and that is unacceptable for a club like Real Madrid.”
Champions League as a Turning Point
Real Madrid now shift their focus to Europe, where they face Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan in their second group-stage fixture. Valverde views this as the perfect chance to bounce back and reset the team’s mentality.
“This is our moment to change the narrative and prove that what happened in the derby was just a stumble. We want to use this game as a statement, to show the real Madrid spirit again,” he explained.
Head coach Xabi Alonso echoed Valverde’s sentiments, urging his players to switch into “Champions League mode” and deliver a strong reaction in continental competition.
With emotions still running high, the showdown against Kairat Almaty will serve as a litmus test of whether Madrid’s internal crisis talks have truly sparked a transformation—or if cracks within the squad remain exposed.
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