Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has penned a heartfelt letter to fans following their 3-2 defeat against FC Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey.
For a club of Real Madrid’s stature, the 2024/25 season has been deeply disappointing. Entering the campaign as the reigning European and La Liga champions, Los Blancos were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League after a heavy 5-1 quarter-final loss to Arsenal. Now, their Copa del Rey defeat leaves them staring at the possibility of ending the season without a major trophy.
Valverde, often regarded as one of the emotional leaders within the Madrid dressing room, took to Instagram to express his feelings, admitting that he felt he had let the fans down.
“It happened again. And it will surely happen again many more times, because it is the road we are building and it is normal that one falls after so many miles. It makes me sad, it makes me angry, impotent. I feel like I failed you.
“It’s been a difficult year, physically and mentally very tough, but one day I was clear: ‘until my legs don’t give up anymore’. This club doesn’t deserve less.
“We’ll be back, we’ll continue and there I’ll be leaving everything for the respect Madrid deserves, its people and everything that involves playing in the most winning team in history. Thank you,” Valverde wrote.
Unlike the previous two El Clásicos this season—where Barcelona cruised to dominant victories of 4-0 and 5-2 in La Liga and the Supercopa de España respectively—Madrid put up a spirited fight this time. After falling behind to a superb strike by Pedri, Kylian Mbappé responded with a brilliant free-kick to level the game.
Aurelien Tchouameni then headed Madrid into the lead, but Ferran Torres found a way past Thibaut Courtois to send the final into extra time.
There, Jules Koundé sealed Barcelona’s triumph with a crisp shot from outside the box, finding the bottom corner to secure a memorable 3-2 win for the Catalans.
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