The case began with a little sentence, and ended up in state crisis. By declaring before a match that he was “not born to be a right lateral”, Federico Valverde probably did not think of triggering such a storm. The response of his coach, Xabi Alonso, was freezing: put on the bench for the Champions League match, a sulky attitude of the player in heating … The clash was public.
The phone call from Pérez which has changed everything: the end of the Valverde-Onso clash
Faced with this explosive situation, a man decided to take matters into his own hands: Florentino Pérez. According to the site Central Defensathe president of Real Madrid personally called his captain to defuse the crisis. A short phone call, less than five minutes, but with devastating effects. Pérez assured Valverde of his “Total support”, That of the club and even that of his coach, asking him not to be affected by media controversies.
This intervention deeply touched the Uruguayan. Still according to the Spanish media, he would have melted into tears on the phone, moved by this mark of confidence. The conversation would have ended with a promise: to do everything to win titles together this season.
“He cried”: behind the scenes of Pérez's intervention in the Valverde case
A firefighter
This presidential intervention is an act of management of rare power. While his coach seemed to be engaged in a “vindictive” showdown according to some journalists, Pérez chose to short-circuit the hierarchy to preserve one of his most important executives. It is a way of recalling which is the real boss in the White House.
The message is clear: at Real Madrid, we do not touch the institutions. And Federico Valverde, captain and warrior, is one. Xabi Alonso, who had tried to show his authority, finds himself somewhat disowned. The crisis may be extinguished, but it has revealed cracks in the new coach's project. And above all she showed that to manage the ego of the largest club in the world, it sometimes takes more than just a coach. You need a president.
