Fede Valverde's hat-trick for Real Madrid against Man City shows why this true Galactico can be 'underrated' no more

12 March 2026, 06:11 | Updated: 12 March 2026, 13:53

Right foot, left foot, volley. Not the textbook perfect hat-trick but perhaps an improvement on it. Fede Valverde was the hero for Real Madrid in their statement 3-0 win over Manchester City. It was one of the great Champions League performances.

This was supposed to be an opportunity for Pep Guardiola's City side to stamp their authority on the tie with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham among those injured. Madrid made all the right noises about never being underdogs but their form had been a worry.

Enter Valverde with a captain's effort. Talk about stepping up. He credited his teammates and the coaching staff afterwards, pointing to the passes that he received for his goals. Typical modesty but it hardly told the tale of what he did at the Bernabeu. It was special.

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