Overview

• Valverde was an unused substitute in the 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty, with cameras noting he skipped parts of the warm-up and briefly spoke with Jude Bellingham on the touchline.
• In a statement on X, the vice-captain said he has never refused to play for Real Madrid and described a good relationship with head coach Xabi Alonso.
• Alonso said the decision was pre-planned to manage workload and added that no player has told him they do not want to play a position, while confirming Valverde is ready for Villarreal.
• Spanish reports say president Florentino Pérez called Valverde to express the club’s confidence and urge him not to be swayed by media noise.
• Cadena Cope and other outlets report Alonso intends not to use Valverde at right-back against Villarreal, with Raúl Asencio or a back-three setup under consideration.