Fede Valverde: Real Madrid star's crazy cynical foul on Alvaro Morata remembered | OneFootball

In case you’re unaware, Federico Valverde is absolutely balling at Real Madrid right now.

After a hugely impressive 2021/22 campaign with Los Blancos, the Uruguayan midfielder has well and truly changed into a higher gear this season.

Whether playing in the centre of midfield or out on the right-wing, Valverde has been dropping world-class performances for fun.

Valverde's latest masterclass came in El Clasico

The 24-year-old was at the very top of his game once again in Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over fierce rivals Barcelona in El Clasico last weekend.

Valverde scored the capital club's second goal of the match, his fifth of the campaign across all competitions.

He's a seriously good footballer and is well on the way to becoming a bona fide Real Madrid legend.

Valverde's first great Real Madrid moment came in January of 2020

Valverde's journey at the Santiago Bernabeu really began in 2019/20, when Zinedine Zidane returned to the club as manager.

The Uruguay international became a first-team regular following the departure of Marcos Llorente to Atletico Madrid and hasn't really looked back since.

And it was against Atletico in 2019/20 where Valverde started his quest towards achieving iconic status among the Real Madrid faithful.

During the final of the Spanish Super Cup, Valverde committed perhaps the most cynical foul ever witnessed to stop Alvaro Morata.

The Atletico striker was put clean through on goal with only a few minutes of extra-time remaining and looked set to win the trophy for his side.

So Valverde decided to take one for the team and hacked Morata down before he could fire a shot towards the Real Madrid goal.

It was an extraordinarily cynical challenge and one of of the clearest red cards we can remember seeing in a professional setting.

Relive the incredible moment of s***housery from Valverde...

Video: Valverde's cynical foul on Morata

Will that footage ever get old? No, no it will not.

Angel Correa was absolutely fuming with Valverde after the Real Madrid man had a red card waved in his face by the referee - and you can certainly understand why.

But there was one man associated with Atletico who was not livid with the events that had unfolded on the pitch; the team's manager Diego Simeone.

As is shown in the video above, the fiery Argentine virtually congratulated Valverde for his actions, slapping him on the head in appreciation as he trudged off down the tunnel.

Then after the game, Simeone was full of compliments about his fellow South American, who was named Man of the Match following Real Madrid's 4-1 victory in the penalty shootout.

“It was the most important play,” the Atletico boss said, per Marca. “I told him that anyone would have done the same in your place.

“I think the prize for the best player makes perfect sense in the world because Valverde won the match in that action.”