Valverde’s injury worries Mourinho during November break
Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde said he is still struggling with muscle discomfort after the injury he sustained against Barcelona, a concern for manager Jose Mourinho during the November international break.
The Uruguay international travelled to Montevideo to join his national side ahead of matches versus Argentina and the Dominican Republic, but admitted he has not yet fully recovered.
Real Madrid currently have eighteen players away on international duty and are hoping to avoid additional injury problems.
Mourinho had previously warned about his squad’s physical condition after the win over Valencia, saying several players were suffering extreme fatigue.
Injury timeline and recovery
Valverde’s troubles began in the Clasico win over Barcelona at Camp Nou on 25 October, when a muscle strain forced him off at the start of the second half.
Mourinho blocks January exits for three Real Madrid bench players
He has continued to feel discomfort, missing the subsequent game against Racing Santander and remaining on the bench for the fixture with AEK.
Despite not being completely fit, he returned to the starting eleven for the match against Valencia.
Speaking to Sport 890 after arriving in Montevideo, Valverde said: “I’m still feeling a bit of discomfort and I’m not 100% fit, but you always have to come up for the national team – it’s always good to be here. I was really looking forward to coming and spending time with my teammates on a day‑to‑day basis.”
He added that he is embracing a more regular role at right‑back under Mourinho, a position that has become an important part of the Portuguese manager’s tactics.
Valverde explained, “I prepare myself to play wherever the manager wants me to play. At the moment I’m playing at full‑back and I’m preparing to do well there and to be the best in my position.”
He concluded, “I like to challenge myself day in, day out, to seek out new challenges and goals, and this is one of them – I’m going to give it my all. Then, with the national team, if I’m called upon to play in another position, I’ll work as hard as I can.”