Bielsa Lends a Hand to Xabi Alonso

Marcelo Bielsa has given Xabi Alonso a helping hand by excluding Fede Valverde from the Uruguayan squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Dominican Republic and Uzbekistan on October 10 and 13. Initially, the plan was for Valverde to travel to Malaysia for two inconsequential matches, as Uruguay has already secured its spot in next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. However, the Argentine coach opted to spare one of his most trusted players from the long journey, allowing him two weeks to train intensively at Real Madrid's training ground.

Valverde's release is good news for Xabi Alonso, who will have at his disposal a player who was at the centre of controversy last week after being benched in Almaty. Valverde redeemed himself four days later, stepping in as an emergency right-back in the league match against Villarreal, which saw Real Madrid return to the top of the league table.

Following the uproar caused by his melancholic demeanour while his teammates warmed up during the match against Kairat Almaty, Valverde seized the opportunity against Villarreal to silence critics and demonstrate the dedicated character that has defined him since joining Real Madrid. He completed 64 of 69 passes successfully, made four successful tackles, recovered two balls, was not dribbled past once, and even attempted two shots, though neither was on target. His outstanding performance was met with applause and chants of "Uruguayo, Uruguayo" from the Santiago Bernabéu crowd, and his teammates also expressed their support with affectionate messages on social media, highlighting the respect he commands as Real Madrid's second captain.

These have not been easy days for Valverde, whose slip-up before the Kairat Almaty match, where he expressed discomfort when played out of position, put him in a difficult spot. "People can say many things about me, but under no circumstances can they say I refuse to play. I have given everything and more for this club, played with fractures, injuries, and never complained or asked for a break," he stated in a communiqué, followed by a flawless performance that rallied the Santiago Bernabéu behind one of its favourite players.

The applause from the Bernabéu was a boost for Valverde, who can now use the respite granted by Marcelo Bielsa to reset his mind at Valdebebas and catch his breath in a season where, as with Carlo Ancelotti, he has found little time to rest. With 746 minutes played, he is the sixth most-used player by Xabi Alonso so far. Starting in eight of Real Madrid's ten matches this season, he has played the full 90 minutes in seven of them. Apart from the aforementioned benching in Almaty, he only rested for the first 45 minutes against Real Sociedad in the fourth league match and the last 19 minutes against Levante in the sixth round of the championship.