Valverde breaks down how Real Madrid erased a 3-1 deficit in Rome to win 4-3

Trailing 3-1 at Rome's Olimpico with the clock working against them looked like a death sentence. But Real Madrid has that rare habit of refusing to read the script until the very end, and Federico Valverde took it upon himself, in the mixed zone, to explain how one of those comebacks that leaves behind more than just three points came together.

The Madrid side was down 3-1 this Wednesday on the road against Roma, but a furious response in the closing stretch changed everything: goals from Carlos Espí (83'), Endrick (85') and Antonio Rüdiger (90') sealed a resounding 4-3 win in matchday two of the 2026/2027 League Phase.

Valverde, who played the full 90 minutes, didn't shy away from a self critical look at the first part of the match. "I think the first half was even. They didn't really find many chances, and we couldn't quite get a handle on the game the way we'd prepared for it. We worked on a lot of things and we just couldn't bring them out," the Uruguayan explained.

Defiance as a rallying cry

What came next was a different story altogether. With the scoreboard against them, the team found another version of itself. "Afterward, with the game against us, we started playing with defiance and doing what we'd worked on: moving the ball through the middle, pushing forward, looking for one on one situations. I'm proud that this team has that defiance in it," he said.

Even so, the captain didn't settle for the happy ending alone. He made clear things would have been far simpler with a different attitude from the start: "If we'd done the work earlier it would have been a less complicated match and we would have enjoyed it more. We made our own mistakes, but we knew how to turn it around."

Among the standout names of the night was Endrick, who scored one of the goals that sparked the comeback. Valverde didn't hide his happiness for the Brazilian: "I'm really happy for him. The manager told us he needed everyone and congratulated us on the work we'd put in. It showed that the guys who get fewer minutes are working hard."

From midfielder to fullback, without complaint

Valverde started the match in midfield but ended up playing as a right back. That wasn't a minor detail given that, just a day earlier, Jose Mourinho had remarked that the Uruguayan would only play in that position under certain conditions. The player himself handled it with pragmatism: "What matters is winning. If things are working, you have to go along with it. I'm happy to keep getting minutes wherever they put me, I really enjoy playing. I had a lot of room to run on the flank and I'm grateful the coach keeps trusting me. I'll give everything for the team."

But perhaps the most striking part of the night was a conversation Valverde revealed in an interview with TNT Sports, one that ended up feeling almost prophetic. According to him, Mourinho had gathered the squad days earlier to speak directly to the players who'd been getting less playing time.

A few days ago, we had a talk with Mourinho and he named every single player who'd had fewer minutes, and he stressed that he needed them, that he was going to count on them, and that he always needs them training at their best.Federico Valverde

The captain went further, explaining why that talk ended up making so much sense at the Olimpico: "Every player who's on the outside and getting fewer minutes is always giving their all in every training session, working with a good attitude. I think that's what makes a good team. The manager is responsible for making sure every player feels part of the squad, that each one wants to contribute their part, and this Wednesday that was on full display. Every single player who came off the bench did a phenomenal job."