Overview

• Federico Valverde issued a public statement saying he has never refused to play and remains available for any role the team needs.
• Xabi Alonso said leaving Valverde unused in the 5–0 Champions League win in Almaty was a load‑management decision and unrelated to any comments.
• Marca reported that Valverde resisted playing at right‑back and behaved passively during warm‑ups, claims the player disputes.
• Injuries at right‑back have prompted discussions about midfielders covering the position, a context Valverde acknowledged while stating his positional preference.
• The episode follows earlier reports of friction involving other Real Madrid stars, even as Valverde recently vowed to keep working to adapt to the new coach’s demands.