Graham Hunter Apr 6, 2026, 04:05 AM ET

Close

Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team.

The last time Federico Valverde played Bayern Munich , he had a pretty average tie and his team came within seconds of elimination from the 2024 UEFA Champions League semifinal. In Valverde's last outing at the Santiago Bernabéu, a fortnight ago, he was red carded, left his team with ten men in the Madrid Derbi but had previously scored and, eventually, watched Los Blancos beat Atlético Madrid 3-2.

However, the last time the Uruguay international played Champions League football at Real Madrid , HQ he produced the match of his life, arguably the performance of the entire European season -- any player, any club.…